Unforgettable
by pinkpearl89
Summary: This first chapter is Lily and James's first time at Hogwarts. I was interested to see how it was that they would meet and James would, well, be so James, lol. As it goes on I'll get to the juicy part of the older, teenage relationship. Read and enjoy!
1. 1: Hogwarts at Last!

"Bye, Sweetie! We love you!"

Ugh! Just like Mum to shout out something like that to the whole train. Didn't she understand that I had to make friends with these people? If I had any chance of being cool, I had to uphold a certain reputation!

I smiled and waved back anyway. I probably _would_ miss them pretty soon.

As the train gathered speed, I turned and headed off down the corridor in my search for a compartment. Just then, my stomach started twisting in knots. My first year at Hogwarts. Oh, I'd wished for this day to come. The day when I would finally hop onto the Hogwarts Express and steam off to an enchanted castle and learn to enchant things myself. Dad's spells were always so cool. He would just point his wand and anything he liked would happen. Then he would turn to me and say, "Now that's how it's done, son. You'll learn to do it too one day."

I couldn't wait to start learning.

I noticed a compartment with other boys inside. They looked like first years, so I slid open the door.

"Can I sit with you?" I asked them.

"Yeah, sure," said a boy with light blue eyes and brown hair. He had the oddest dark circles under his eyes, almost as though he hadn't slept in a fortnight or something.

The other boy, a pallid face with black hair and suspicious eyes, looked me up and down before asking, "What's your name?"

"James Potter," I answered as I sat next to the brown-haired one. "Who are you two?

"Sirius Black," the suspicious one answered, still scrutinizing me. I returned his look as the other answered, "I'm Remus Lupin. It's nice to meet you, James."

Lupin, that was a new name to me, maybe he was muggle-born. But Black I knew. It was another old wizarding family, just like mine.

It seemed Sirius Black had finished x-raying me, because his face split into a smile. "So is this your first year too, James?"

"Yeah, you two firsties as well?" I asked.

"Yep," Sirius said, "And I thought I might start a little tradition." His smile turned mischievous.

"Oh?" Lupin and I asked at the same time.

"Yeah, see I thought it's never too soon to start making a good impression."

Sirius's smile had me wondering what, exactly, he thought of as a good impression.

"Yep," he said, "And I thought to myself, 'what's the best way to make a _great_ impression on the first day of Hogwarts?" His grin got wider, "And then it came to me."

I'm sure he knew that he had Lupin and I listening very closely. I was a little excited, but the other boy looked a little worried.

"I'm listening," I said, wanting him to keep talking. If it was possible, his grin got even wider.

"I brought a whole box of Dr. Filibuster's Fireworks to set off in the hallway."

I grinned back, not completely sure about the idea but incredibly excited anyway.

"Won't that be dangerous?" asked Lupin, a slight worry line forming between his brows.

"Oh, not really," Sirius said, shrugging it off, "they're magical fireworks. They won't actually _hurt_ anyone."

Lupin looked incredibly relieved.

"So what do you say?" Sirius asked, his eyes darting between the two of us. "Do you wanna do it with me?"

My face split into a grin. "Yes, definitely!"

"Ok, as long as no one will get hurt…" Lupin's voice trailed off some, but Sirius assured him that no one would be hurt. Now I knew that Lupin couldn't have grown up in the wizarding world because he should have known that even though no one would be hurt, their clothes and eyebrows could still be singed off. I winced inside at a memory of doing that to my mum once.

We were planning how to set them off so that there would be maximum time for them to ricochet off the walls, although it was mostly me and Sirius—oh, excuse me, Sirius and I, Mum's always correcting my grammar---because I think that Lupin kid was still a little unsure about the whole thing. Seriously, did muggles think that fireworks were dangerous? Hmm, maybe. I suppose we would just be demonstrating how safe they are in the wizard world.

That has to qualify as a public service, right?

Finally, a few hours into the day, we were getting them ready. Lupin thought we should wait for the trolley to come by first, so that we didn't have to deal with fireworks bouncing off the walls when we wanted food. It was a good idea actually, me and Sirius should have thought of that.

So after the trolley came by, we crept out of the compartment and arranged the fireworks along the hall. Then we lit them all and ran back to our compartment, laughing and whooping the whole way as the fireworks bounced off the walls behind us. Sirius was shouting, "I'm Sirius Black, and this was MY idea!" the whole way back to our compartment, but I don't think anyone heard him over the banging of the fireworks.

xxxxxx

I had just gotten a little bit comfortable. Somebody set off fireworks in the hall earlier, and I was scared that we would get hurt, but Alice told me not to worry. I guess fireworks aren't dangerous here like they are in the normal world.

Alice. She's one of the girls I met this morning after running onto the train. I was sitting on one of the benches, crying to mum and dad about not being able to find platform 9 ¾, when a girl with short black waves came up and touched my shoulder.

"My mum saw your trunk," she had said. "Are you looking for platform 9 ¾?"

I nodded as I looked up at her.

"Well, it's this way."

I had to say goodbye to mum and dad right there, because they couldn't get on the platform. Alice's mum says you have to have magic to do it. I was worried that it might not take me, but it did. And now I've spent the whole day with Alice and two other girls, Lacy and Malinda.

It was night outside, and the train had rolled to a stop. I started to gather my things when a tall black-haired boy walked in and told us to leave them. He said that they would be waiting for us in our dorms. I think he must have been one of the prefects that Alice was telling me about because he was wearing a shiny badge on his school robes.

The robes were still funny to me. It was almost like wearing a bathrobe to school. I giggled to myself about it. But then I stopped. A gigantic, hairy man was waving his arms and shouting, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!"

I was terrified, but Alice poked me along in his direction. "Don't worry," she told me, "My mum told me about him. She says everything will be okay."

I followed along behind Alice, but I'm not sure what her mum told her about the giant man because she looked scared too. It started to rain lightly when they reached the big man.

"Gather roun' gather roun' now, firs' years!" He called. I shivered a little, and then decided that it was _not_ because of being scared. It was only the rain, which was picking up a little.

"Now," the big man started saying, "We're all goin' to climb into these here boats an'" but I didn't hear the rest. I had suddenly caught sight of a black-haired boy in glasses. It suddenly felt like….like, everything would be alright. I _knew_ when I looked at him, whispering to his friends, I just _knew_ that this new world was a better place for me than my old one.

I wasn't afraid anymore.

xxxxxx

I knew we would be crossing the lake in boats. "It's a tradition!" Dad had said. But I didn't think they'd make us do it in the rain.

We were standing just inside the castle doors, wet and shivering. I hadn't even gotten the chance to see Hogwarts properly. I would have to go outside and take a good, long look at it tomorrow.

Everyone was still shivering when a tall, willowy woman walked up to us. She waved her wand and I was, quite suddenly, completely dry. I flushed with gratitude and looked around at the other students, all magically dry, as she began speaking.

"Good Evening, everyone. Welcome to Hogwarts."

She didn't sound very welcoming. She sounded quite stern, really. I wasn't sure what to make of her. The only women I knew were Mum's friends, and they were always laughing and bubbling over like cauldrons. But she was still talking, so I tried to pay attention as my eyes wandered around, learning the faces of the other students.

"I am Professor McGonagall, and I am head of Gryffindor House. I will be instructing you in Transfiguration. You will soon meet your other professors. Now, shortly you will walk into the Great Hall, which is behind me, and be sorted into your houses," she said. I knew I would be in Gryffindor, just like Mum and Dad. I couldn't wait to go sit at the Gryffindor table that Dad described. "Once you join your House,"

Professor McGonagall continued, but I didn't hear her. I suppose that was alright. I knew it all anyway. Besides, my attention was suddenly caught by something much more interesting.

The loveliest pair of green eyes were gazing at me.

The world stopped.

They looked terrified.

I wanted to go to her, hug her, and tell her everything would be okay. I would _make_ it okay, just for her to feel better, but I couldn't. My legs wouldn't quite work.

I settled for staring at her eyes. They were beautiful! They sparkled like gem stones---oh, what are the green ones called? Emeralds! Emeralds. They sparkled like emeralds, even though they were afraid.

What could I do to make her feel better? Smile?

I tried it, and she blushed, looking down. Oh, her blush was pretty! It was so pink on her creamy cheeks, and it made me notice her fiery red hair and how it hid her face a little when she ducked her head. I wanted to touch her, lift her face so that I could look at her eyes again, but she kept her head down and her blush got darker, almost the color of her hair. I smiled at that.

Someone poked me in the back. Oh, Sirius.

"What?" I whispered, tearing my eyes away.

"Get going, mate," he whispered back.

"Er—right, sorry," I flushed as I hurried forward. Then I saw her red hair in front of me. She was still glancing around as she walked, and when she looked at me again I took her hand without thinking.

And as soon as I touched her, I had a funny feeling in my stomach. All of a sudden, I knew I would marry her someday. I _had_ to. If I didn't, I would _die_.

She started to pull her hand away, but I held on tight because she still looked so scared.

"It's okay," I whispered to her as we walked. "I'm going to be in Gryffindor. I can protect you." Her eyes widened a bit at that, but her scared eyes still didn't answer me so I whispered, "I'm James Potter. What's your name?"

"Lily," she whispered back, "Lily Evans."

"Lily," I mused, then smiled. "It's perfect. Like a flower." But then I frowned, looking at her red hair. "I thought lilies were supposed to be pink?"

She giggled.

Good.

Then I smiled again. "You're the world's first red lily. You should be proud," she smiled. Her smile made me happy. I leaned over so I could whisper quieter, "And you should be in Gryffindor with me."

"Oh, no," she said, "My best friend, Sev, says that I should be in Slytherin. He says Gryffindor is _worst_!" She whispered conspiratorially.

He? Hmmm, I didn't like that. She was _mine_. I knew she was.

"Who's Sev?" I asked.

She frowned at my tone, but pointed out a boy further down the line. He had stringy black hair and a big, ugly nose. I tried not to make a face when I turned back to her.

"You're too pretty to be in Slytherin," I told her. "And Gryffindor is best, because they're bravest."

"Really?" Lily asked as Professor McGonagall started calling names. "The _bravest_?"

"Yep," I said proudly. "That's the house I'm going to be in. Just like my Mum and Dad."

"Lily Evans!" Professor McGonagall called. I heard her breathing hitch a little, and then she pulled her hand from mine. I had been so comfortable, I had actually forgotten that I held it.

Now my hand felt empty without it.

I waited for the Sorting Hat to call her house.

Please be in Gryffindor, please be in Gryffindor, please be in---

"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted for the hall.

I grinned in delight. She went and sat down by Sirius, Lupin, and the other first years. I couldn't wait to get to know them!

When it was my turn to be sorted, I walked over as calmly as I could. What if I wasn't in Gryffindor? I had to be! I didn't want to be anywhere else!

"Well good evening, Mr. Potter," said a surprisingly dry voice. The Sorting Hat?

"Er—good evening, sir," I answered, not sure how best to be polite to a hat.

After a moment the hat said, "This is when you ask me if I am well."

I felt a wicked grin spread across my face. Dad never told me that the Sorting Hat had a dry sense of humor.

"What? Did you not just wonder how to be polite to a hat?" The voice asked innocently. Too innocently. I would have to take that lesson and store it for future use.

"Indeed I did," I answered with as much debonair class as I could muster. "But I did not want people to think I was crazy."

"And why would they think you are crazy?"

I couldn't keep the grin off my face.

"Because I am having a conversation with a hat."

I heard a low, dry cackle.

"Indeed you are. Indeed, you are."

"So," I asked, "Don't you need to think about where you want to put me?"

"Oh no, I decided already."

"Oh?"

"Of course. I was just making small talk. A hat can get bored talking to itself for a whole year."

I grinned. "Completely understandable."

"Well, I suppose I've had you for long enough Mr. Potter. You may go to the house of---GRYFFINDOR!"

I grinned in delight, and continued to do so for the rest of the evening, until I collapsed onto my bed and fell asleep.


	2. 2: Trouble in Paradise

Hello!

So this is chapter 2 of my attempt at Lily and James's relationship. I know this is only their first year but it seemed tome like the troubles with Snape had to start early on. I mean, anyone you live with is going to rub off on you. Anyways, here it is, and I hope you enjoy.

To Kayla:

Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked it. There isn't that much of Lily's pov in this chapter, but as the story progresses she becomes more aware of their chemistry, so I promise the story will feel fuller then.

**Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Harry Potter. I just like writing about James and Lily**

Ok, enjoy!

xxxxx

"I just don't know why you had to leave me all alone, Sev. I thought you said you would be with me the whole time? You've been ignoring me all week," Lily added sadly. She looked at her best friend for explanation.

"I'm sorry, Lily. It's just, I'm in Slytherin now, and some of those people just don't think the way I do. I mean, you _promised_ me you wouldn't be in Gryffindor. You _promised_, Lily, and now look what's happened."

"You're saying it's my fault?" Lily asked, hurt.

"NO! No, of course not, but, I mean, you understand don't you? I have to live with those people, Lily, I can't just argue with them over every little thing—"

"Our friendship is little to you?" she whispered sadly.

"Lily," he said, as she started to walk away, "Lily, wait!"

"I can't, Sev. I can't be late to class over every _little_ thing."

"Lily, that's not what I meant!"

But she didn't turn. She continued toward the quidditch pitch, where a couple of students were already gathered for their first flying lesson. James jumped and waved from the middle of the small crowd.

"Lily! Are you excited?" His face shone with so much enthusiasm, she thought it was a good thing that they were out in the open. She shuddered to think of him bouncing off of the walls in such a state.

Lily giggled in spite of the foul mood that Sev had left her in. "I'm nervous."

"Aw, don't be! Flying is so much fun!" And with that, he jumped on the broom he had been holding and zoomed into the air, drawing a circle around the growing group of students.

"Oi! James! Get down, I see a teacher coming!" Remus called up to him. James took one more swoop around before touching down next to Lily. He leaned over and whispered into her ear, "See? Easy."

She looked at his blissful grin and had to smile back. But then she spotted Sev walking slowly toward the pitch, a scowl on his face.

"What are you doing with _him_?" Sev called as he walked up. Before Lily could answer, James did.

"She's having fun, you git. You're the one that left her upset," James snarled back.

"No, Sev, don't!" Lily called as Sev pulled his wand. But James had beaten him to it and a jet of red hit Sev square in the face, erupting in boils all over his skin.

"Slimy little Potter!" Sev screamed, pointing his wand in James's direction. The green that erupted from it missed James but came within and inch of Lily.

"YOU"RE GOING TO REGRET THAT!" James screamed at the top of his lungs, aiming again.

"MR. POTTER! MR. SNAPE!" Thundered a very angry professor as she came toward them, "DETENTION! BOTH OF YOU!" She grabbed them both by the collars of their robes as she yelled at the rest of the class, "AND IF I SEE ANYONE ELSE THROWING SPELLS, YOU'LL BE JOINING THEM! NOBODY TOUCH THEIR BROOMS UNTIL I GET BACK!" With that, she pulled both boys along behind her as she marched back up to the castle.

What just happened? And why do James and Sev hate each other so much? It's only been two weeks for crying out loud!

Maybe Sev just can't stand how James and his friends pull so many pranks all the time. It annoys me a little too. They can go a little far, but still, I don't think they've _ever_ had a real conversation! They can't hate each other on looks, can they?

I'll talk to Sev. If he really hates James so much, maybe there's a good reason. But James always makes me laugh! Still, I trust Sev. There must be something I don't know about James.

xxxxxx

"Throwing spells, completely out of order, absolutely undisciplined!" Madam Hooch exclaimed before Professors Slughorn and McGonagall. I hung my head and tried to look dejected, but I still wanted to throw another curse at Snape. He was trying to take my Lily! _And _ he upset her!

I knew he wouldn't tell her why, but those Slytherins are always the same with their pure-blood stupidity. Lily will see it soon enough. I know she will. She's to smart to be fooled for very long, especially by a stupid, toe-rag of a git like Snape. She'd ditch him, and then I'd be there to tell her it was all for the better. I just knew it.

Or, at least, I really hoped it.

She seemed to be really good friends with him. I tried to get it out of her why they're friends, but she just said, "He's my best friend and I trust him with anything."

Oh, Lily. I don't want you hurt.

Especially by this no-good, greasy-haired slimeball who doesn't even have enough Slytherin brains to fill an egg cup.

"Well, I certainly think they deserve the week of detention that you've already given them, but I don't see why you believe that there should be any more punishment," Professor McGonagall was saying.

"I agree with Minerva," Slughorn added, nodding. "After all, how much harm can first years really do to each other?" I wasn't sure if he was still nodding on purpose, or if his head just wobbled by itself. I resisted the urge to go poke it, just to see if it would wobble faster.

I was helped to ignore the wobbling head a little by the very loud sniffling sounds coming from the boy next to me. I guess those boils were even more irritating than I intended. Snape! Ugh! That slimy, snivelly, little---hey, snivelly…that sounds like a good name for him. I'll have to keep that in mind.

"Well, I certainly think that they should at least be given another week's detention if you don't want to consider anything else!" Madam Hooch said indignantly. "They were fighting on my quidditch pitch."

"Yes, we know—" Slughorn began lazily.  
"You have made us quite aware of that fact," McGonagall interrupted, attempting more civility than Slughorn had. "But Professor Slughorn and I are in agreement that the week's detention will suffice as proper punishment for first-years in a squabble. As you came to us, their Heads of Houses, you must now defer to our judgment."

Madam Hooch looked at them both, still seething. "Very well, then," she said. "I'll leave them to you now as I will not allow them back on my quidditch pitch for today's lesson."

"Quite fair, quite fair, Madam," Slughorn said. "Until we meet again!" he made a very dramatic, sweeping bow and Madam Hooch stomped off. Slughorn's head _did_ start wobbling faster when he bowed. I had to resist another urge to go up and poke it.

"Alright boys," he said lazily. I think he was bored with Madam Hooch's tirade. "We'll notify you tomorrow as to where you will be serving detention. Now, seeing as you are not allowed back into your flying lesson today I would suggest you run along back to your dormitories."  
"Yes, but first, Mr. Snape, why don't you run along to the hospital wing and have Madam Pomfrey take care of your boils? Mr. Potter, _you_ may go immediately back to your dormitory, as I don't believe Mr. Snape's aim was as damaging as your own."

I smirked as I turned and sped off back to the Gryffindor common room.

xxxxxxx

"So what happened, mate?" Sirius asked as soon as he and Lupin walked through the door.

"I got a week's detention," I smirked again, "And McGonagall says my aim's better than Snivelly's."

"Snivelly?" Lupin asked.

"Yeah, new name I thought up for that slimeball, Snape. It suits him better."

"Hmm," Sirius mused, "Naw, you gotta make it sound more like a real name."

"How do you mean?"

"How about 'Snivellus!'" Sirius said in sudden inspiration.

"I kinda like that better," I conceded.

Sirius grinned. "Snivellus it is then."

"Hey, does anyone know who this fourth bed is for?" Lupin asked after a short silence.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "It's been a week now, and I haven't seen who's supposed to be sleeping in it."

"Me neither," Sirius said, glancing at it curiously.

Just then, there was a small squeak and something flew from the door to under the bed in question. I glanced at Sirius and Lupin, then went over to investigate.

What I found was rather surprising. A small boy, even smaller than most of the girls I'd met, was wedged under the bed. He squeaked and jumped again when he saw me lift the bed skirt.

"Hey," I said in what I hoped was a reassuring tone, "It's okay. We won't hurt you."

"What is it James?" Sirius asked.

"The owner of bed number four, I think. Hey there," I said in a reassuring voice. At least, I _hoped_ it was a reassuring voice. "Why don't you come on out and tell us your name?"

He squirmed his way out with surprising difficulty, considering how quickly he had wedged himself under it.

"P-P-Peter Pettigrew," he said nervously as his eyes flicked from face to face. The fear would escalate every time he looked at Sirius. I turned and saw why. Sirius had put his suspicious face back on. I thought about telling him to save it for the Slytherins, but then decided it wasn't worth the effort.

"So, _Pettigrew_," Sirius said with an edge to his voice, "Why haven't we met you yet?"

The boy shook in fear. "I-I was t-too scared. I t-thought you would beat me u-up a-and take my chocolate frogs!" he wailed miserably.

"Ooh, you have chocolate frogs?" Lupin asked excitedly, "Can we have some?"

Pettigrew nodded, still fearful. I laughed.

"You know, Pettigrew, you don't _have_ to give us your chocolate frogs," I told him.

He sagged a little in relief but Sirius moaned, "What? Yes he does! James, tell him he does!"

"Sirius, he does not! Be nice to your new roommate!"

"No! I want a chocolate frog!"

"So, Peter," Lupin interrupted, "Why did you come up here now, if you didn't want to see us?"

Pettigrew looked terrified to have our undivided attention on him again. "W-Well," he stuttered, "t-there's a girl downstairs who wants to see James Potter. S-She gave me a s-sickle to tell him that Lily Evans wants to s-see him."

Lily wanted to see me? "Did she say why?"

Pettigrew shook his head, terrified at not being able to answer my question. I turned and went downstairs to find out for myself.

xxxxx

She was angry.

_Really_ angry.

I saw that as soon as I walked down the stairs to the common room. I probably looked as scared as Pettigrew had. Was she mad that I got detention?

"James Potter," she said quietly. Somehow, the quiet voice scared the wits out of me. "Can I talk to you privately please?"

"Uh, sure," I said, leading the way out the portrait hole and going in search of an empty classroom. I finally found one down the charms corridor and I held the door for her as she marched in. Some part of my brain registered that she looked absolutely _adorable_ when she was when she was mad. It made me want to kiss her.

Something told me that was a bad idea.

"Why would you do that to Sev?" she stormed.

"Who, Snivellus?" I asked, "Because he upset you!"

"He did not upset me! We were just---wait, did you just call my best friend _Snivellus_?"

"Yeah, a nickname I thought up for him. Pretty good, eh?" I smiled at how gloriously funny the name was.

Apparently, Lily did not agree.

"No!" she shouted. "He's my best friend!"

"Well, he's no good for you!" I yelled back, quickly loosing my amusement over the nickname.

"Really?" she asked incredously, "And why is my best friend of six years not good enough for me?"

Six years? It was worse than I thought. Not knowing what to say to that I shouted back, "Oh for Merlin's sake he's in _Slytherin_. He's going to turn on you eventually!"

Her face turned red to match her hair.

"Have I told you how much that color becomes you?" I asked without thinking.

I expected her to scream in response. That red on her face had gotten even darker. But she didn't scream. When she spoke, her voice came out deadly calm.

"And what makes you think he'll turn on me just because he's in Slytherin?"

"They always do, Lily," I told her unwillingly. I didn't want to hurt or upset her any more than I already had. "You have to trust me. They _always_ do."

She stared at me in fury for a moment. She really was beautiful, even when she was mad. Then she whispered, "You're wrong, James Potter. You're wrong and I never want you to talk to me again." She turned and ran off.

"Lily! Lily, wait!" I yelled, running after her. She had already disappeared, and I had no way of knowing which direction she went. Oh Merlin! It would be great if I had some way to always know where she was. Then I'd be able to find her in this Hogwarts maze. I gave up when I realized that she had to come back to the common room eventually, so I waited for her there.

But she didn't come back that night. I fell asleep on the couch there, still waiting.

xxxxxxx

"Ugh, gross." I mumbled to myself, pushing off the bathroom floor. "I can't believe I actually fell asleep here."

Sitting up, I looked around, trying to be sure that no one else had walked in and noticed my disgusting mistake. Then I stood and went back to Gryffindor tower.

What was James thinking? Hexing Sev for no reason at all. Well, I suppose he thinks he had a reason, but Sev didn't upset me! He really didn't! Did he? I mean, he hasn't been around much all week, but he's just been trying to make new friends. I made some new friends too; I shouldn't be upset about that. But I haven't been _ignoring_ him. I tried to go see him, but he didn't even argue with those other idiots when they said that they wouldn't let a mudblood in their common room. I mean, they called me mudblood, and he didn't even say anything about it! Nothing at all!

Ugh, maybe I should just let him get new friends.

No, I can't do that.

He's been my best friend forever, and especially since I got my letter and Petunia wouldn't talk to me anymore. He was the only one who still wanted me around. Well, except for Mum and Dad, but they don't actually count. Parents _have_ to want you around.

I can't stop being friends with Sev. I just can't. And that James Potter is going to be nice to him, or I'll never talk to him again. Who does he think he is? Hexing Sev just because he can! Well, I suppose Sev did reach for his wand first, but it's not like he was going to actually _do_ anything, right?

I'll ask Sev when I see him again. I don't think he's in the hospital wing anymore, so who knows when that'll be.

I hope he doesn't ignore me for another week because of our fight.


	3. 3: Reconciliations

Hello,

So this is chapter three.

To Betty Crocker,

I'm not entirely sure how long I'll be writing about their first year. Mostly this is sort of a way for me to understand their relationship. I'll keep writing about it until they reach the stage that I know they are supposed to get to—basically, James being in love and Lily being enraged at his antics. But I have to admit, I'm also excited to see how they come back together by the end of their seventh year, so I'll be writing about that as well.

**Disclaimer: I am not JKRowling and I only wish I could claim James Potter as my own. Enjoy everyone!**

xxxxxxx

"Come on, Lily, I was only trying to protect you!"

I looked at her with the big eyes that always worked on Mum. They seemed to be working well on Lily too.

"You've said that already," she sighed.

"Yeah, but you haven't actually _heard_ me yet, so I'll keep saying it until you do." I didn't let the big-eye expression slip for a second. I couldn't. Lily might not take me seriously if I did.

She sighed again, bored with me following her around all day to apologize.

"Come on, Lils, you know I'll follow you around all day, all week if I have to. You can't get away from me, we have all the same classes!"

Finally, she turned to actually look at me for the first time since she got angry with me yesterday afternoon.

"Okay, James. I'll give you another chance to be my friend," I sighed in relief, "but you _have_ to be nice to Sev."

"Okay, great!" I said, knowing I couldn't fulfill the last part but not really caring.

"Potter, I'm serious," she said, fixing me with a withering glare.

"Alright! I'll try to be nice to Sniv—I mean, Snape."

She glared a little longer, as if she meant it to be intimidating, and then went to take a seat.

Merlin! She sat next to one of her friends, so I couldn't sit with her to keep talking. I had a lot of catching up to do on time if I was going to be able to compete with Snivellus for her attention.

I couldn't be too disappointed though, because Sirius and Lupin were waving to me from a back row. Professor Flitwick walked in just then, so I hurried over to sit down.

"Settle down please, everyone take a seat. Today we will be discussing levitation charms…"

A slip of parchment slid onto my desk. When I was sure Flitwick wasn't looking, I took a peek down at the paper and read.

_So, did she accept your apology?_

_ -SB_

I scribbled back, hoping it looked like I was taking notes.

_Yeah, but she's got a killer condition on it – JP_

_What? – SB_

_She wants me to be nice to Snivellus – JP_

_WHAT? – SB_

_Yeah, I know – JP_

_That's tough. Maybe you should find yourself a new friend. You know, just forget about it. – SB_

_Can't – JP_

_Why the bloody hell not? – SB_

_I just…can't. – JP_

_Seriously, James? You have to have a reason. – SB_

_Just let it be Sirius. – JP_

_Oh Merlin! You fancy her, don't you? Already, mate? It's only been a couple of weeks! – SB_

_NO! I do NOT fancy Lily Evans! – JP_

_Really? 'Cause I'd say you're just a little to touchy about the subject mate. – SB_

_I don't. – JP_

_Great! Can I ask her out then? I kind of like her red hair. – SB_

_NO! I mean, no. – JP_

_Right, you don't fancy her one bit James. Now I'm convinced. – SB_

Sirius handed the note back to me with a small smirk on his face. Oh Merlin! How could I let that slip to Sirius? He was right. It only had been two weeks, I shouldn't be this attached to some girl I just met. Even if she did have sparkly emerald eyes.

xxxxxxx

By the time we got back to the common room that evening, I was really annoyed with Snivellus. Why did Lily care for him so much? Well, I knew that they were friends for six years, but why would she even befriend him in the first place? Where was the beginning? It didn't make any sense at all.

Sighing, I didn't sit in my chair so much as let myself fall into it, and then yelped as I jumped back up.

"Oh! Er, sorry Pettigrew."

"It's ok," he squeaked, starting to get up.

"No, no! You stay, I'll just sit over here," I said, moving to a chair across from him. When I sank into that chair, much more cautiously might I add, I was met by the level stares of Sirius and Lupin.

Uh-oh.

They were up to something, I could tell.

"Pettigrew, why don't you go upstairs for a while?" Lupin suggested.

Sirius just glared poor Pettigrew into a fearful scramble for the boys' staircase.

When they were sure that he was gone, and after glancing about for anyone else who might overhear, Sirius began, "So we've been trying to think of a way to take care of your problem with Lily—"

"What?" I said, a little too loudly. I quieted down some before speaking again, "I don't have a problem with Lily. Everything is just fine since this afternoon."

Lupin shook his head, "You have a problem with Lily, James, admit it now, so that we can help you."

"Because we've thought up a plan," Sirius said.

Oh no, Sirius with a plan?

"What kind of plan?" I asked, interested despite my gut feeling that this would not be good.

"We're gonna prank Evans-"

"No," I cut him off, "Absolutely not."

"James, just listen!" Sirius said. "_We're_ gonna prank Evans, just me and Lupin, but you're going to come in and save the day. Then she'll fancy you. Girls always fancy heroes."

I actually considered it for a moment.

I have to say, that was not my proudest moment.

"No," I decided firmly. "Absolutely not."

"Alright then," Sirius conceded, "Let's prank Snivellus then. He was annoying me in class."

"How was he annoying you?"

"He just kind of _there_, filling the room with his annoying presence."

Lily had said that she would only talk to me if I was nice to Snivellus. I reminded Sirius about that.

He considered thoughtfully for a moment before he said, "She doesn't have to know it was us."

Lupin cut in, "Maybe that's not such a good—"

"How would we make sure she didn't know it was us?" I asked.

"We'll find a way," was all that Sirius would answer. A wicked grin spread across his face.

It was probably a bad idea—what if Lily found out—but I really wanted to get back at Snivellus. It was his fault that Lily had been angry with me in the first place.

xxxxxxx

**If you like it, please review. I like to get other people's thoughts.**


	4. 4: Unlucky Day

Hello everyone!

Here's chapter four. I'm not sure whether I can leave the first year yet, I feel like there's still another chapter of exposition in the relationship because my aim is for it to come full circle in a believable way. Anyways, here's chapter four. Please review.

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters that I'm writing about. But I still love James Potter. Why are boys in books always better than real-life ones? (sigh)**

xxxxxx

"But how will we get there without being seen?"

"Remus, we're about to pull a bloody brilliant prank on Snivellus and you're afraid to be seen?" Sirius scoffed.

"Lily can't know it was us, remember? Besides, what's the point in planning the whole prank if we get caught _before_ we pull it on him?"

Sirius couldn't argue with Remus's logic after that.

I noticed how he was Remus now instead of Lupin. Somewhere in all this planning, I was beginning to feel the bond that was nearly instantaneous with Sirius. Pettigrew was still Pettigrew though. He was so shy and scared that it was difficult to try to bond with him.

Sirius wouldn't let Pettigrew be any part of this. He didn't trust him. It made me remember when Dad told me never to trust anyone that I couldn't respect. Did I respect them enough to tell them my secret?

I watched them as they continued to talk. They hadn't yet come to the problem that I had. There was absolutely no way that they would be able to sneak into the Slytherin common room without being seen.

But I had a way.

Could I trust them with it?

Did I respect them? Oddly enough, I did. I laughed quietly to myself. Why did I trust them? All we ever did was pull pranks on people. Still, as I watched them consumed with plans for _me_, I realized that I trusted them for precisely that. They were doing this for me, so I could tell them my secret.

"There just isn't any way, Sirius," Remus was saying, "Even if we go just before morning so that we can slip off after and say we were at breakfast, how are we supposed to know their password?"

"Well I dunno, do I? That's why we're trying to plan it out!" Sirius said, raising his voice a little in exasperation.

Yes, I trust them.

"I have a way."

Both boys turned to me, surprise quickly giving way to expectant expressions.

"Come with me. I'll show you."

I led the way back up to our dormitory and looked around. They were completely empty. Merlin knows where Pettigrew is right now.

Striding over to my trunk, I paused a bit before turning around and saying, "Now, you can't tell _anyone_ about this. No one, understand?" They both nodded, so I turned around and rummaged in my trunk until I grasped the silky material.

I took a deep breath and pulled it out for them to see.

"What is it mate?" Sirius asked. Grinning wickedly, I pulled it on for a demonstration. Their gasps made me chuckle softly.

"Merlin, James! Is that a-a-invisibility cloak?" Remus said.

I pulled the hood off, letting them see my head bobble in mid-air. "Yep," I grinned.

"Where'd you get something like that?" Sirius asked, wide-eyed. I could almost _see_ all the possibilities running through his mind.

"Family heirloom," I told him, still grinning. "Dad thought it might come in handy while I'm at Hogwarts." I couldn't stop grinning. "Alright, so here's the plan…"

xxxxxx

We had decided to go with a classic. It may not have been original, but it was effective. And I am not one to scoff at methods that are tried a true.

As we huddled in a corner of the Slytherin common room, I poked Sirius to keep him from snickering.

"The cloak doesn't make us mute, Sirius, just invisible," I hissed at him. He stopped snickering immediately.

The three of us waited silently for Snape and the rest of the Slytherins to come downstairs. It took some patience but eventually---

"BLOODY HELL!"

Snivellus was the first one down to the common room, but his shriek was loud enough to wake the entire castle. Others were running down from their beds, pulling on robes as they frantically scanned the room and relaxed into raucous laughter.

Snivellus was frantically trying to get his underpants down from the ceiling where we had hung them, but Sirius, who had learnt about permanent sticking charms to pester his mother, had stuck them to the lines that they hung on. The laughter was so loud that we were able to join in as we made out way to the door.

Luckily, the door opened just as we got to it. No one would see the door opening of its own accord. Unluckily, Slughorn walked through.

All three of us froze under the cloak, but as his eyes slid over us I remembered that we were invisible. I prodded Sirius and Remus toward the door again before it closed.

When we were finally free of the Slytherin common room, I pulled the cloak off, still chuckling at our amazing luck.

But then we rounded a corner and I nearly knocked Lily over. My heart stopped.

"Lily!" Sirius said with fake cheer, "What brings you down to the dungeons?"

"I could ask you the same question, Sirius," she answered, clearly surprised. The surprise was fading quickly though, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. She had heard the false note in his voice.

Drat! Now what? She wasn't supposed to know!

"I asked you first," Sirius answered. I almost laughed at that, but managed to contain myself. Lily looked madder than teenage mandrakes already.

"I was coming to get Sev for breakfast," she said, "Now your tur-"

"Well, don't let us keep you!" Sirius said cheerfully and we all ran down the hall.

xxxxxxxx

"Oh, honestly, Lily! How could we even have gotten into the Slytherin common room? Did you think of that?"

In fact, I hadn't thought of that. Really, I guessed that was a bit of a compliment to him. I was beginning to think that anything was possible for James Potter.

But I was in no mood to give him compliments.

"I don't know, Potter, but I'll find out. I swear to God I will!" I shouted back at him.

"I love it when you use your muggle phrases, Lily, they're so cute," he said.

I don't even think he noticed his mistake until my skin matched my hair. The only time I wasn't annoyed with my fair skin was when I was mad. It served as a warning to everyone in sight.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME, POTTER?"

"Uhhhh, I mean, uh,"

"I know you and your little friends did this to Sev, Potter! I might not know how, but trust me, I _will_ find out!"

"No! Really Lily—"  
"DON'T CALL ME LILY!" I burst at him, no longer caring about the common room full of witnesses. I pulled out my wand and shouted, "ONLY MY FRIENDS GET TO CALL ME LILY!"

"Oh, but Lily—" he stopped short when sparks flew out of my wand in his general direction. Honestly, I had no idea how to curse him, but I was angry enough at the moment to give it a good go.

"Okay, okay, I get it. You don't want me to call you Lily. But can't we at least be friends, Lils, is that too much to ask?"

"I said not to call me Lily!" I screamed again, sending more sparks flying.

"That wasn't Lily! That was _Lils_! See, big difference---"

"UGHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed louder, sending a bigger burst of sparks at him that showered him from head to toe. He started jumping up and down on the spot, looking like a startled house elf.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He shouted as he jumped, but I knew it wasn't sincere.

"You are not, James Potter! I asked you to be nice to my best friend, and you couldn't do it! I never want to speak to you again!"

With that, I ran up to my dormitory and sobbed quietly. I didn't want to stop being friends with James. He made me laugh and he was always so nice to _me_. But he was horrible to Sev, and I couldn't forgive him that.

Sev was my best friend.

xxxxx

**If you like it, please just drop a line to say so, you don't have to write a whole long review if you don't have time.**


	5. 5: It was Bound to Happen

I stood with my cloak bundles around me as tightly as I could hold it. The wind ripped through the grounds and made me shiver again despite my efforts.

"What's so great about being out here right now, Sev?" I asked. Even I could hear the slight whine in my voice. "Wouldn't you rather go inside and sit by the nice fire in the common room?"

"You know very well that I can't go into your common room, Lily, and you know why," Sev snapped at me. Then he looked sorry right away. "Sorry, Lily, it's just, I mean, you know how Potter is."

"Yes, I know how Potter is," I said, getting a little miffed that he would let that arrogant git affect him. "What, you're just going to lie down and take it form him?"

"Well, no," Sev said as he processed my words, "but sometimes there's just no reason to fight him. He only gets worse when you're around, after all."

"What?" I said, incredulous that Sev would say something like that. Was he trying to hurt me? Rub it in that James Potter was an arrogant, bullying toe-rag and he only got _worse_ in my presence? Why would he say that?

I imagine that Sev saw me beginning to turn red because he was stuttering slightly as he attempted to dismiss his words.

"Well, it's not like it's your fault, Lily, of course not, everyone knows it's all his fault, and—"

"Forget it, Sev, just tell me why we're standing out here for no reason."

"There's a reason."

I waited for it. "And it is?"

"Ummm, don't worry about it _right_ now—"

"What? No, Sev, if you won't tell me then I'm going back inside." I turned and began stomping back toward the castle with murderous thoughts.

He just let me go.

It seemed that it was always like this with Sev now. Whenever I was able to spend time with him he was aloof and distant, and would somehow always say something bad about Potter. That would be fine if it didn't leave me feeling guilty for the fact that Potter was the way he was. I already _knew_ that he got worse when I was around, I didn't need to be told.

I especially didn't need it from Sev. Did he think that I didn't feel horrible that Potter used him as his favorite target?

I mean, it's not like Potter doesn't target me as well. What does Sev think Potter's doing when he asks me out constantly? He's just trying to make fun of me, after all. The only reason I hold his interest is because I'm not falling to his feet just because he's a quidditch god. Even Lacy and Malinda would go out with him if he asked.

You'd think that I'd be able to find the steps since I was glaring at the ground as I stomped off, but I managed to trip on them anyway, and nearly split my face open.

Fortunately, I was caught by a strong pair of arms. I was pulled back up to my feet as I looked up to see my savior.

Damn! Potter!

"All right there, Evans?"

Stupid, cocky grin.

Merlin, it was a perfect smile, though!

What? Wait, no, Potter does not have a cute smile.

Then his eyes went past me and narrowed. "Snivellus," he greeted.

"Potter," Sev answered. I didn't think he had followed me. He hadn't called after me to make me stop. But then I realized that he probably only followed when he saw Potter.

"What did you do to Evans?"

"What's it your business, Potter? She hates you."

Potter actually looked a little sad at that. I almost felt bad for him. But then he pulled out his wand and I remembered what my problem was with him.

"Don't give me any reasons, Snivellus, that'll only make it worse," Potter threatened. Well, actually, it's not a threat. It's a promise where Potter and Sev are concerned.

"Think you can try again, Potter?" Sev taunted, "Dumbledore nearly had you thrown out last time."

Potter turned splotchy white and red at this statement. That was odd. Why would Dumbledore have Potter thrown out over bullying Sev? I mean, he was an arrogant git, but lots of people were at fifteen. A man as reasonable as Dumbledore wouldn't ruin anyone's life by throwing them out of school for that.

"You should be more grateful, Snivelly, I saved your neck."

What? I wanted to ask, but I figured I'd get more clues by just listening. Neither one of them ever told me anything, not even Sev would tell me anymore. The days when he shared everything had passed.

"You saved your own neck!" Sev hissed, "Yours and all your friends'!"

It was at this point that I realized that I was still, in fact, in Potter's arms, and I hurried to support my own weight as I pushed away form him. He let me, but pushed me behind him as he let me go.

"I could have let you go that night. No one would have been the wiser. They wouldn't have even found your body," Potter answered darkly.

"Oh? Why did you stop it then? Isn't that what you want? To get rid of me so that you can have your shot at Lily? She's too good for you, _Potter_." Sev spat his name, making it into a curse. Lily was surprised.

"I stopped it because I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. Can you say the same?" Potter said, just as gravely as before.

Sev couldn't answer.

"So who's good enough for her now?" Potter said in that odd tone. I'd never heard him use such a serious, dark tone before. It was strangely ominous though I thought it shouldn't affect me. It made me want to lean into him for support again.

Sev was turning and walking away. I hadn't expected that. For him to just turn like a coward and walk away from this. He left me. All alone with Potter. _Potter_!

I suppose he thought Potter wouldn't pull anything on me. Sev is always trying to convince me that Potter is a git and that his attention shouldn't be noticed. I already know Potter's a git, but Sev ragging on him all the time is starting to irk me more than I would have thought reasonable, considering it was James Potter after all.

But a lot of things about Sev were beginning to really bother me.

xxxxxx

It was a day like any other spring morning. The dawn brought a bright, clear promise of warmth as the day stretched. Silly me, I was stressed about my final OWL, charms this afternoon.

How was I to know that an OWL grade might pale in comparison to other life-altering events?

How was I to know that my life might be altered at all? I had made plans to ensure that everything would go as I wanted, and I didn't realize that some things can actually trump a plan. Even one that is thought through as well as mine are.

But I suppose that is called a life lesson, and I was bound to learn one sooner or later, despite my preference to learn my lessons from books.

The Charms OWL went well, I shouldn't have worried so much. Charms has always been my best subject. Still, there's a difference between performing a charm and discussing it, and I've always been better at practical magic than discussing theory.

"So Lily," Malinda said, "You've been awfully quiet. How did you feel about the exam?" We were shuffling along with all the other fifth years to the grounds. Everyone was so tired of studying indoors and I, for one, was determined to spend the rest of the school year outside.

"I thought it went just fine. But I wasn't sure about the question on levitation. They really should make it more specific. I mean, I'm pretty sure you can levitate anything if you concentrate hard enough, there's no limit to the power of the charm---"

"Oh, Malinda, you shouldn't have asked!" Alice cried.

"We all know how much Lily likes her charms!" Lacy piped up.

"Well, Malinda asked," I defended myself. "I wasn't going to inflict my self torture on you if she didn't say something!" I said, beginning to be somewhat cross with them.

We had reached the lake though, and it always calmed me down. There was nothing like putting my feet in the cool water. It felt as though I was literally losing all the heat of my anger through my ankles.

"We know, we know," Alice joked, "Lily the school-book martyr."

They all giggled and I joined in, already feeling the euphoria of sitting by the lake. The giant squid dipped tentacles in and out of the water, propelling itself lazily. Or maybe I just felt like the squid was lazy, matching my own mood.

Leaning back, I propped myself up on my elbows and listened to the girls chatting. I didn't really have anything to add. It was such a beautiful day that I just wanted to sit by the lake and enjoy their company.

I wasn't allowed for long.

"Expelliarmus!"

Oh no, students fighting on the grounds. It was my duty as prefect to go break this up. And _why_ did I have to know _exactly_ who had thrown the spell before I even turned around?

I hate Potter.

I jumped up as Sirius Black threw another curse. Unfortunately, that meant losing the calming effects of the lake. Potter should know by now not to mess with a red-head's temper. Although, if Black and Potter are cursing each other, there's really no reason not to leave them to it…

I sighed and turned around anyway, just to make sure that they are, in fact, only cursing each other. I should know that never happens. Potter and Black wouldn't curse each other. They prefer to gang up on others.

And there is a definite pecking order.

Sev is by far their favorite target.

I ran over as quickly as I could, but by the time I crossed the grounds to them Potter had already yelled, "Scourgify!"

I couldn't watch. He was foaming at the mouth, choking on soap bubbles of all things---

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Only I could get Potter's attention away from tormenting Sev.

Well, Dumbledore might be able to do it to, but I was the only one who could actually get his mind on something else.

Unfortunately, that something else always had to be _me_.

"All right, Evans?" Potter called.

"Leave him alone," I told him again. Sev was always trying to convince me that Potter was absolutely horrible, and I believed him, to a point. I knew there was a good side to James Potter, but I didn't get to see it most of the time. Was it worth trying to bring that good side out? "What's he done to you?"

Potter thought about it a little, probably knowing that would prolong Sev's humiliation. "Well," he finally began, "it's more the fact that he exists if you know what I mean…"

Stupid, arrogant boy. And the crowd was laughing with him. Poor Sev.

"You think you're funny," I told him. Even I could hear the cold anger hardening my voice, "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toe-rag, Potter. Leave him _alone_."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," he said.

UNBELIEVABLE! Oh, in the name of Merlin, did that boy have _no_ sense?

"Go on," he continued chattering inanely, "Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

Would he really? No, he said he wouldn't lay a _wand_ on Sev again. Potter was infamous for his word games.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," I informed him as coldly as I could.

"Bad luck, Prongs," Black told him as he turned back to Sev. "OY!"

A gash appeared on Potter's cheek. I almost felt bad for half a second. Potter hadn't cut Sev's skin open after all…

But then Sev was upside-down in the air, and all sympathy for Potter vanished. Potter was humiliating Sev, hanging him like that, allowing his clothes to fall about him and expose his underpants…I'm beginning to think that Potter getting cut was the easier of the two. Although, I'm still angry enough at Sev to think it's funny that his underpants are dirty.

"Let him down!"

"Certainly," Potter replied. Always eager to do whatever I tell him, unless, of course, I tell him to stop asking me out.

I sighed. Even though he does what I say, he rarely does it the way I want him to. Sev came crashing down to the ground. I don't think he was hurt in the fall though, he's managing to inch toward his wand.

"Locomotor Mortis!" Black shouted. They won't even let poor Sev have a wand to defend himself, the gits.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I pulled my wand to make sure they took me seriously this time.

Oh, and they did. No one messes with me when I pull out my wand, least of all James Potter. I've put him in the hospital wing enough times to prove that I have no qualms about sending him back.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," Potter said. To my surprise, he actually sounded sincere. I didn't let the surprise show on my face.

"Take the curse off him, then!"

"There you go," Potter said, muttering the counter-curse. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus---"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Sev yelled.

What?

What!

Well, all right then. I guess that's it then.

I blinked to keep away the tear that threatened to fall.

"Fine. I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus_."

"Apologize to Evans!" James roared. No, not James, Potter. It was _Potter_, and he was just as bad.

"I don't want _you _to make him apologize! You're just as bad as he is!"

"What?" Potter yelped, looking surprised and hurt. Wow, he actually looked hurt. "I'd never call you a ---you know what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can---I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK!"

Merlin, I just wanted to get away from here. How could Sev, why? Just, _why_? Did something about me disappoint him? What did I do to make him go down this path? I turned and walked away as quickly as I could, before the tears started.

"Evans!" I heard Potter shout, "Hey, EVANS!"

I had to get away before the tears came.

xxxxxx

Alice followed me into our dorm. Lacy and Malinda were right outside, I was sure. They were waiting for the okay to come in and help.

"Hey," Alice said quietly.

"Hey," I managed back.

Alice just sat there quietly on my bed with me for a few minutes.

"Do you want to talk about it right now?" she asked gently.

I tried my voice, but it didn't work so I just shook my head.

"Ok, can I sit with you?" Alice asked.

I shook my head again.

"Ok, the girls and I will be in the common room when you can handle talking," Alice said. She was so understanding it was amazing. She _really_ understood me. And since I was on the market for a new best friend…

"Lily?" she asked as she paused before the door, "It's hard to lose a best friend, but I think you know…you've been drifting apart for a long time. He's not Sev anymore, it's okay to let him go."

With that, she slipped out the door and I started to bawl as soon as I heard the door close.

xxxxxx

It wasn't until much later that they came back upstairs for me, saying that I had to come talk to him. I pulled myself together, knowing that it wouldn't be much of a conversation. He had finally pulled off my blindfold today.

Alice was right. I knew we were drifting apart, but I didn't think he would…that he ever could…I nearly burst into tears again.

I went out the portrait hole and found him pacing.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not interested."

"I'm sorry!"

"Save your breath. I'm only here because Mary MacDonald said you were threatening to sleep here." And I believed her. But it's too late, Sev. It's too late. We're not friends anymore, we haven't been for a long time. It's time it ended.

Oh, I can't cry, not here.

"I was! I would have done. I never meant to call you Mudblood, it just---"

"Slipped out?" I wasn't even angry. I didn't have the space for it in me. My voice was just…devoid of emotion. "It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends." I shook my head at his silence. Oh, Sev, what _happened_ to you? "See, you don't even deny it! You don't even deny that's what you're all aiming to be! You can't wait to join You-know-who, can you? I can't pretend anymore. You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine."

That was it. When I heard the words spoken aloud, when I heard myself say them, I finally heard them. And then I wasn't hiding emotions anymore. They were just…gone.

"No---listen, I didn't mean---" He tried again.

"To call me Mudblood?" I cut him off. "But you call everyone of my birth mudblood Severus, why should I be any different?"

He blanched at the use of his full name, but I didn't feel it. I couldn't feel anything toward Severus Snape anymore.

It was all gone.


	6. 6: Mature? What's That?

Hey Everyone!

So I realized that I forgot to leave a disclaimer on my last one, but I'll fix that this time. Anyways, I probably should wait a bit before I put this up, but I just can't hold out when I have something I really want to share. Here's chapter six. They're about half-way through their sixth year now. It's really short, but don't worry, soon I think they'll let me be done with the exposition of their relationship and then I'll be able to really get to them being together.

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! It really brightens my day when someone thinks enough of my work to leave a comment on it :D

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Except Lacy and Malinda, those two are just names I came up with. Oh, and I still don't own James Potter either. I'm pretty sure I'd be one of the stupid girls at Hogwarts who falls for him when she can't ever have him, but what can I say? He's one of my favorite creations by JKR**

xxxxxx

"What?" James said quietly.

Too quietly.

Peter and I turned to look at him. Sirius was already staring, as he was the one who had delivered the bad news.

"How could this happen?" James said, his face drained of color. "Where did I go wrong?" At this point he started ruffling his hair and pacing in a panic, and the color was rushing back to his face at an alarming rate. He was as red as an exploding snap by the time he had made a circuit of the common room, not even noticing any of the startled first years who scrambled to get out of his way. Nearly everyone was wary of James's wand.

Everyone except the person who had caused his present state of shock, anyway.

"I hex everyone who gets too close, I tell her I love her, I ask her out constantly in the grandest ways I can imagine… HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?" James demanded.

"Well, Prongs, have you ever thought that maybe your tactics don't work on her? Maybe you should try something else?" I suggested gently. He just didn't understand. He loved her because she was different than the other girls, but he didn't know how to be because of that. He didn't understand that it was because she was different that she needed maturity from him.

"But that's just it, Moony. How could they not work? Isn't that what every girl wants? To have a guy protect her and her honor, and tell her he loves her more than anything, and shower her with attention? ISNT THAT WHAT _SHE_ WANTS?"

The first years were scampering up to their dorms by this point, and the fourth years thought it wise to usher the second and third years out the portrait hole. Only the fifth years stayed put, having become more proficient at shield charms in their past year.

"Well, mate, maybe you aren't doing it quite the way she would appreciate it," Sirius suggested.

"Yeah, that Diggory is really mature!" Peter piped up. I silenced him with a look that said his comment wasn't helping.

Although for Merlin's sake, at least Peter knew what the problem was here. James was hopelessly oblivious.

"How long?" James asked quietly, "How long did that git sneak around with my Lily?"

"Seven months," Sirius said quietly, knowing James was about to explode.

"SEVEN MONTHS! THAT'S SINCE BLOODY FIFTH YEAR!"

"So what are you going to do to him, James?" Peter asked excitedly. He nearly fell out of his seat. "Whatever it is, I wanna help!"

"You always wanna help when Prongs is in a murderous rage, Wormtail," Sirius said. "Why don't you help by calming him down, you dolt."

Peter looked disappointed.

James turned to me, his eyes suddenly pleading. "Moony, you know her better, she talks to you now with all that prefect stuff…tell me, what am I doing wrong?"

I cleared my throat, uncomfortable with his pleading gaze. How would he take it? Well, there's only one way to find out. Here's to hoping that Gryffindor courage is somewhere in me.

"You need to be more mature, Prongs. That's all."

"What?" Sirius asked for him. James just stared blankly. "James can't change his _personality_, Moony, it's who he _is_, he can't help it."

"I'm not saying his personality, Padfoot. I'm just saying to clean up his act a little. Wormtail was right, Diggory _is_ really mature…"

"Diggory's a bloody seventh year! Of course he's more mature than James---" Sirius started before I cut him off.

"Yeah, but it's different." I turned to James. "Honestly, Prongs, I don't think she's that interested in him, but it's the maturity that she _needs_, and he has it."

James sank down to the sofa as the rage seemed to leave him. He looked pathetic and defenseless without it, I have to admit. It left too much room for the misery to show through.

I wonder if she even understands that she has the power to break his heart this way. Probably not, or she would be dumping Diggory in an instant. Even Lily Evans isn't a match for that kind of love. She'll have to give in to it eventually.

"So what do I do?" he whispered, still pleading with his eyes, "How do I make myself more mature?"

I looked at him again, searched him for his capacity to handle this transformation. It won't be easy on him. He's spoiled, I know he is. I know he's been pampered his whole life, but, he's going to do it eventually, right? Why not start now?

"Well, " I started, "You could start by not hexing everyone who goes near her or just happens to brush past her in the halls, Prongs. If you haven't noticed, you just cleared out half the common room with all that yelling."

Sirius chuckled softly, but then admitted, "I guess if Gryffindor courage can't stand up to you, mate, maybe you should tone it down."

"But then all those _pigs_ will think that they can do whatever they want with Lily! Sweet, innocent, beautiful---"

"Okay, Prongs, we get the picture," Sirius interrupted hastily.

"How about a compromise?" I suggested. "You can hex anyone who asks her out, but no one else."

James perked up a bit but then sagged again, "No, Moony, you have to let me hex the people who insult her too."

I thought about it for a minute. "Alright, that's fair. Anyone who asks her out or insults her, but not random people for no good reason."

"Define 'good reason,'" James said.

"Prongs, do you want Lily or not?"

James sighed. "Okay, no one who doesn't ask her out or insult her," he agreed. "Except for Snape!" James said quickly.

Sirius looked at me, "That's fair enough Moony, don't you think?"

"Yes, you can hex Snape too."

"YES!" Peter yelled, jumping up from his chair and turning to James. "So what are you going to do to Snape?"

"Wormtail, sit down, you dolt! He has more important things to attend to than Snape right now," Sirius said, irked.

You know, I've never said anything about it, Merlin knows I've got my own little problem as well, but Peter always seems to want violence. It's just, James and Sirius, they always want good fun and revenge, but they don't want _violence_. Peter always jumps at the possibility.

"So," Sirius was saying, bringing me back to the conversation, "What are you going to do about Diggory, James?"

James was very quiet for a minute.

"Nothing," he finally said. "She doesn't belong with him. I know it won't last."

Wow. Already trying to be more mature, I suppose? Well, trust James to be able to perform miracles for Lily. I probably shouldn't mention that it has, in fact, already lasted for a full _seven_ months…but best not to goad him. He's only just got the color back into his face.


	7. 7: McGonagall's Favorite

Hello everyone!

So, here we go, chapter seven. I hope you like it, and if you do, let me know. Anyways, James and Lily Potter everyone! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters. And I'm still in love with James.**

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"Good morning, Evans. I missed seeing you at breakfast."

I looked up in surprise. Well, this is certainly new. James Potter has a tone of voice that is neither mocking nor arrogant. Who would have thought?

Deciding to reward his polite tone, I said, "Good morning, Potter."

He still didn't take his seat, and Professor McGonagall was walking in so I continued, "Don't pop an artery, Potter, I'm sure you'll see me at lunch."

Hmmm, more sarcastic than I intended, but what can anyone expect? Sarcasm and insults are the only way I can get through to him. Well, maybe it's all for the better anyway, since he started getting that cocky grin back the moment I said good morning without hexing him.

"Mr. Potter, class has begun. Please find your seat," McGonagall said sternly. She always has to be stern with him and his _Marauders_, but I know he's her favorite. He's always been the top in our year for transfiguration.

Unfortunately, the only seat left was next to me. He slipped into it and grinned at McGonagall.

"Of course, Professor! I'm so sorry to be a disruption!" The rest of the Marauders sniggered. "What amazing feat of transfiguration will you challenge us with today?"

And the polite tone has disappeared.

Oh well, it was good for the split second that it lasted.

"We will be studying inorganic to organic transfiguration today. I will give each of you a small lamp, and you will turn it into a small animal of your choosing. You will have the whole class. Begin."

Oh, no! There was no way I was going to be able to do this! And stupid Potter sitting next to me won't be any help, the show-off. He could probably turn _himself_ into an animal and back within the class period!

Two lamps were set in front of me.

What? Two?

Oh, right, one is for Potter. McGonagall wouldn't be so unreasonable as to expect _two_ small animals out of me before class is up; she knows this is my worst subject…

Well, I suppose the internal grumbling won't help.

I pointed my wand at one of the lamps and muttered the incantation. There was a small flash, then some smoke, and then the smell of toast.

Hmmmm….somehow I think something went wrong here.

I swatted away the smoke to get a closer look at my work.

Yep, just as I suspected. Something _definitely_ went wrong here.

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Turning lamps into animals? Easy! Oh, this is going to be a fun class. It's Evans's worst subject, so she's bound to need some help.

Oh, thank Merlin and all the stars above that transfiguration is my best subject and Evans's worst. It's like the cosmos want us to spend time in tutoring sessions.

Oh, hey, I've never thought of that before. You know, she doesn't respond too much by way of social gatherings, but if I can talk to her through _schoolwork_…you know, that might be the key. She might just take my help if I offer it nicely.

Maturely.

Remember, you need to be mature.

You can do it for Lily.

I grinned. This is a _great_ idea.

Settling back, I watched Lily attempt to turn her lamp into an animal and prepared myself to be entertained. Oh, and she didn't disappoint. My grin got wider as she sputtered a bit at the smoke and tried to wave it away so that she could see what she'd done. I stifled an all-out laugh, but a small chuckle escaped anyway.

Luckily, I don't think she heard it, absorbed as she was in attempting to decipher what her lamp had become. I wish I could help, but I have to say, I have no idea what she was going for.

I know that there are millions of creatures in the world that I know absolutely nothing about, but, in general, I can honestly say that I don't think you could find _this_ creature if you searched every corner of the planet and then dove into the sea to search some more.

Well, at least it was unique.

There were scales, feathers, _and_ fur, along with a stumpy looking tail, one paw, and a pair of misfortunate eyes. I don't think she decided what animal to turn it into. Mostly it was just a lump that looked like it was breathing. Poor thing.

Just then, McGonagall walked by and looked down at Lily's desk. "MISS EVANS!" then she caught herself staring in horror, "Oh, well, I can see that you have some work to do. Mr. Potter, why aren't you transfiguring your lamp?"

"Sorry, Professor." If she only knew that I could turn _myself_ into an animal and back by the end of the class. Although it wouldn't be a small animal like she requested, she might decide to take off points for that.

I pointed my wand at the lamp and it became a golden retriever puppy. McGonagall smiled.

"Well done, Mr. Potter. You may go, if you wish, although it seems Miss Evans could use your help."

"Of course, Professor," I said, giving her a smile.

Lily looked mortified at that. To make it up to her, I pulled a spare bit of parchment from the corner of my desk and turned it into a tiger-lily. I gave it to the puppy that was licking my face and pointed it in Lily's direction.

It pranced right up to her and dropped the lily into her hands, then proceeded to lick her face.

"Hey, now," I warned, pulling the puppy away, "No one gets to do that…except me."

I looked at Lily, but she didn't pull the puppy back to her. She wasn't even looking at it fondly. Actually, her nose had gone a bit red and she was sniffling softly.

"Are you alright?" I asked quickly. Was she crying?

She waved her hand to brush off the problem. "Yes, it's just, I'm allergic to dogs. We had three when I was little and I sort of developed---"

"How about an owl?" I said, pointing my wand at the puppy and cutting her off mid-sentence. Half a second later, a beautiful snowy owl was sitting on our desk.

She looked at it for a moment, her head tilted slightly in the effort. "Since when do owls have green eyes?"

"Since I transfigured it and I wanted you to be able to spot it in a crowd," I told her. "They don't have the same sparkle that yours do, but then I haven't even met any humans who can claim to compare to you, Evans." I was surprised that she didn't hex me for that comment. I just really couldn't help making it.

She was looking at it in wonder when I said softly, "Please keep it?"

"I—I can't, Potter."

"Why not?" She didn't seem to have a retort ready so I added, "You have to admit, they're useful. And you'll never have to use the school owls again."

She smiled at that, then faked sadness. "Oh, do you mean I'll never see the inside of the owlry again?"

"Or smell it," I added, grinning.

She nodded. "Okay."

YES!

Wow, is this what they mean when they say that giving is better than receiving?

"On one condition," she said. I raised my eyebrows in question.

"Anything, Evans."

"Teach me how to do it."

I laughed as I looked at her horrible attempt. "Oh, is that all? You could have asked for much more, Evans, and I would have done it."

"No, you wouldn't have."

"Yes, for you I would."

"Really? Well then, I've changed my condition. You have to stop asking me out."

"Nope, sorry, you already gave the condition, and I agreed. Verbal contracts are binding, you know."

"I knew it was too good to be true," she moaned quietly.

I leaned over to her. I couldn't help myself. Oh, she smells _so_ good. "There's one way you can get me to stop asking you out, you know. You could actually say _yes_."

Just as she was about to retort, very angrily, I can only presume, the bell rang. I scooped up the owl and gently put it into her hands.

"You'll be able to spot this one from a mile away," I told her softly as I turned and walked out.

I bet that git Diggory never transfigured her an owl from a lamp.

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"Wow, he's so beautiful!" Lacy squealed. "Where did you get him? There's no owl emporium in Hogsmeade!"

"Potter made it for her," Alice was helpful enough to inform them. "I saw him in transfiguration today. Oh, and can I just say, Lily, that you should have kept the puppy. It was adorable!"

I blushed deep red. How could I keep it now that they knew Potter gave it to me? Denying him had become a matter of my own honor now, not just his arrogance.

"_Potter_ gave it to you?" Malinda said. Wow, is she making an effort to keep the jealousy from dripping out of her voice? Because it is definitely _not_ working. Merlin, I'm going to have to mop that jealousy off the floor pretty soon.

"Yes," Alice gloated for me. She seems to think that I _should _show off about all of Potter's ridiculous attention. I really have no idea why. Although he was actually kind of…decent…today.

He could have hit on me less often, but all in all, he wasn't _so_ bad.

At least he wasn't trying to be a prat most of the time.

It was a pleasant surprise.

"First he tried to give her the most _adorable_ puppy, why didn't you take it, Lily?" Alice asked.

"Well," I blushed. Merlin, why am I blushing? "I'm actually allergic to dogs, so Potter thought an owl would be better."

"Oh, how thoughtful!" Alice gushed. I had to smile at that. Alice loves making Lacy and Malinda antsy about Potter. And since she's got Frank I don't have to worry about competition from her.

What?

Well, no, that's not what I meant. I mean, it's always nice to have attention from boys, but _Potter_? No, I wouldn't miss his attention if he suddenly decided to give it to someone else. I'd feel sorry for the new girl, actually.

New girl? No, no, I'm not the old girl yet.

But if I was, I wouldn't be upset about it.

Not at _all_.

Because Potter's an immature prankster and even if some of his jokes are funny, his attention isn't worth worrying about.

And anyway, I have a boyfriend. A really great, handsome, mature, boring-as-Pettigrew boyfriend.

Wait no---no, my boyfriend is not as boring as Pettigrew, what was I thinking?

I mean, Pettigrew's not that bad to begin with. He does go along with the rest of the Marauders with all their stupid little pranks and antics and---OH MERLIN!

My boyfriend is even _more_ boring than Pettigrew!

No, no, there's nothing to worry about. That's what happens when people mature. They lose their interest in silly little games like Potter plays. Even he'll lose his interest in them eventually.

Or, maybe he'll keep doing things like that forever.

Is it possible? To grow up and still have fun? Well, I suppose if anyone can manage it, he can. He's so crazy now that I'm sure he's going to retain at least some of the insanity when he gets older. Wouldn't it be interesting to see how he does it?

That's okay to think, right? Even if I do have a boyfriend, it's okay to want to know a person that you've lived with for six years, there's nothing wrong with that.

That's a perfectly acceptable desire.

Not that the word 'desire' is a subconscious manifestation of any sort of physical or sexual interest. Purely the platonic interest in a schoolmate, that's all.

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"Miss Evans and Mr. Potter, please stay after class. I would like to speak to you. Mr. Lupin, if you would stay as well," McGonagall said.

Well, that's not as scary as it could be. If she wants to talk to Remus and me it's most likely about prefect business. Why does she want Potter though?

I spent the whole class wondering about it, and quietly seething that this was the second class in a row that I was somehow stuck in a very small desk next to Potter. I don't know how he does it, but he is an expert at bothering me.

Although, come to think of it, it's the professors that keep seating him next to me. They're not inflicting this torture on me _purposely_, are they? No, they couldn't be. They are Hogwarts professors, they would not behave in such an unprofessional manner. But the thought certainly didn't help me to concentrate on turning my plate of fruit into a vase of roses.

Neither did the fact that Potter was eating his fruit instead of transforming it.

"Hey," Black whispered from behind us, "Turn my plate into a vase, will you?  
"She'll know it wasn't you, Padfoot, we'd both get detention."

"So what, we always get detention."

"And you wouldn't get the marks you want," Potter whispered.

Was he being _reasonable_? Thinking through one of his rash actions before actually doing it?

And teaching a lesson to Black while he was at it. That's something I didn't think I'd ever see.

"No, listen, Prongs, I've got it all worked out," Black insisted. "You turn it into an ugly vase with just a couple of roses, then she'll think I might have done it."

Potter sighed, then turned around and did it. Suddenly Black's plate of fruit was three wilting roses pathetically leaning against the lip of an old, dirty vase.

And here I thought Potter was making a reasonable decision. I should have known that he couldn't actually keep it up for long.

"Great, Prongs! Thanks!" Black whispered enthusiastically. "Now do Evans. She's just aching for help."

"Hey!" I whispered, indignant. "I'm doing fine!"

Black laughed. "I can help you if you like, Evans," Potter said.

"I'm not interested in cheating, thank you."

"No! That's not what I meant. I meant, I can help you with it, you know, so that you can do it yourself," Potter said, completely earnest.

Um, okay then.

Why isn't he doing anything? Oh, right, I didn't say okay out loud. I was a little too stunned by his expression. I haven't seen that one since….well, since first year, to be perfectly honest.

"Okay, thanks, Potter," I said. He was top in our year for transfiguration after all. He should be able to tell me what I was doing wrong, at least, even if he couldn't fix it. I knew enough about magic to know that things are just intuitive, and not everyone knows how to explain the intuition. But I have my fair share of good subjects after all.

Actually, I'm top in half the classes and Potter's top in the other half.

How did he manage that?

He never pays attention in class, he rarely turns in his homework, he shows up late, he pulls pranks all the time, how does he get top in half the classes?

He pulled me back from my reverie. "Alright there, Evans, why don't you do the spell so that I can see what's going wrong here?"

"Oh, um, alright," I said. It was the natural way to start, but, it seemed odd somehow, at least coming from him. I waved my wand and muttered the incantation just like McGonagall had said.

"Hmm," Potter began thoughtfully, "And were you clearly thinking of the vase with roses when you said the incantation?"

"Um, yes?"

"What color?"

"I'm sorry?"  
"What color roses were you thinking of?"

"Well, red, I suppose."

"You suppose?"

"Um, yes?"  
"Evans, if you were concentrating, I mean really concentrating, you would be able to tell me what color they were."

"Right, sorry."

"Don't apologize," he reassured me. "We'll get it right this time. Now, what color are the roses?"

"Red." I said more definitively.

"And the vase? What shape is it?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Dolphin-shaped," I finally decided.

He grinned. "Dolphin-shaped it is. Now picture it clearly in your mind," he waited a moment, the eye contact was beginning to ruin my concentration. "Alright there, Evans, now keep that picture in your mind's eye and do the incantation."

To my delight, it worked! I made half a dozen red roses spraying out the mouth of the dolphin vase. I jumped in my seat. "That's great! I can't believe I did it!"

Potter grinned. "It's beautiful, great job."

I smiled at him. Who would have thought that _I_ could do such great transfiguration?

"Thank you!" I said, still caught up in the excitement.

He just grinned back at me.

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"So what did McGonagall want the two of you for?" Peter asked as soon as Remus and I were through the door.

Sirius, eternally bored, was lazing on his bed and couldn't be bothered to look over. I poked him with my wand before answering Peter, "She needed to talk to Moony about some prefect stuff, and she wants me to tutor Lily."

That caught Sirius's attention.

"She wants you to tutor Lily?" He asked, incredulous. I nodded with happiness. "Wow, you really are her favorite, mate. What a break she just gave you!"

"I know." I couldn't stop grinning. Two whole hours with Lily every week. With any luck, they would be exactly like today, when I would actually be able to help, and then she would look at me all lit up like she had been this afternoon.

"So," Sirius said slyly, "Did you notice the color of her vase?"

"Hmm?" I asked, still basking in the glory of the memory.

"Her vase," he repeated. "Did you notice what color it was?"

'Oh, umm, I kind of forgot. Blue-gray I suppose, or maybe a silvery color…" but I trailed off because Sirius was shaking his head and grinning.

"Nope, mate. Although, last I checked, dolphins were a silvery-gray color."

"Padfoot, are you going to tell him or should I?" Remus asked lazily.

"Oh, Moony, please let me! I really want to be _gazing_ into his eyes as I tell him this," Sirius continued.

Well, really, what color could it be? What could possibly be so interesting about it? It was only a vase after all.

"Alright then, Padfoot, if you want to tell him, don't make him wait any longer," Remus prodded.

Sirius grinned at me. "You know how you two were having a bit of a moment when she was trying to concentrate on all that mind's eye crap you were telling her?" I nodded. "Well, I think she was concentrating a little too hard, mate. Her dolphin came out—wait, let me check." Sirius came over to peer into my eyes.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, Sirius, just tell the poor boy!" Then Remus turned to me and said, "It was the same color as your eyes, Prongs."

"Yep," Sirius said, his examination complete. "Exact same color. A beautiful hazel, really, I can see why she wanted to keep it forever."

I grinned. "Really?"

Lily was concentrating that hard on my eyes?

"Oh, I'd say so," Remus added. "Apparently you distracted her a little bit, Prongs, maybe you should keep that in mind during your tutoring sessions."

Sirius and Peter sniggered, but I didn't care.

Lily was really looking into my eyes that way? And actually _seeing_ something there, too, not just glazing over like when you're bored in History of Magic.

Maybe this whole, trying to be mature thing is actually going to get through to her.

Oh, I can't wait to get started on tutoring lessons.

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**I hope you liked it! If you do, just drop a line to say so, it really brightens my day!**


	8. 8: TearDrop Tutoring

Hi everyone,

This is chapter eight. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, it's always appreciated! This chapter spans a couple of months, so be sure to keep your bearings time-wise. And yeah, I hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Harry Potter.**

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I can't believe how well tutoring sessions have been going. I mean, Lily has actually been _responding_ to me!

Well, I suppose she's always responded, technically, but now she's responding in a really good way. Merlin, I can't believe how great this is. I guess the whole schoolwork thing really was the way all along. I can't understand why, though. It's not like she just cares about schoolwork, I mean, I've seen her with her friends. She's just as fun-loving as anyone.

So why does she only respond to _me_ because of tutoring sessions?

Oh well, plenty of time to figure it out, I suppose. Anyways, it's kind of difficult to concentrate on anything with Lily sitting just across from me.

It was a shock that first time, when she walked through the door. I had never seen her in anything other than her school robes, but there she had been, wearing jeans and a cute little t-shirt, and I couldn't stop staring. I mean, it's one thing to daydream about what she looks like under those billowing school robes but it doesn't compare to actually finding out.

I've forced myself not to openly stare since that first lesson, but I can't help being distracted. It's a good thing that she isn't trying to tutor _me_. I'd never learn a single thing!

It doesn't exactly help that the weather is getting warmer, so that today she's wearing shorts instead of jeans. My eyes keep traveling up from her ankles, where I was attempting to keep them so that I wouldn't have dirty thoughts, to her slender calves.

"Like this, Potter?"

What? Oh, right, I'm supposed to be teaching her transfiguration.

"Well," I stalled, trying to gouge the progress she had made since my mind started wandering, "You're getting closer. But don't forget, with something as complicated as this, you have to imagine the object you have actually turning into what you want."

She looked at me blankly.

I tried to explain. "When you have a small thing, it doesn't take quite as much concentration. You just imagine what you want and it should just pop into existence."

"Right, that's what you've been teaching me," Lily agreed.

"Right," I told her, "But there's a certain point at which that's not enough anymore. We've been doing smaller things, but this desk is a medium-sized object, and it won't just change because you imagine it to be something else. You have to imagine _how_ it would change. Picture the metamorphosis. Do you know what I mean?"

She stared into my eyes for a moment. "I _think_ so…so, how, exactly, would a desk morph into a chair?"

Hmmm, there's a good question. How can I show her? That's the difficult thing about transfiguration, you know, trying to explain it to other people. Because if you can't _see_ it, you can't make it happen.

"Aren't you an artist?" I asked her. I already knew she was, of course, but there was no way that I was going to admit to spying on her in the common room at wee hours of the morning.

"Um, I like to draw a bit, yes," she answered, a bit of a blush tingeing her cheeks. Odd, why would that make her blush?

I pulled out some parchment and a quill. "Why don't you give it a try on paper first? That way you can see it happen in a more logical way. I mean, it can be hard the first few times, just trying to imagine an entire transformation in your head. Drawing it might help you remember the finer points."

"You mean I'll always have to draw it out?" She said, slightly annoyed. "Well, Merlin, Potter that would take forever! I would be better off just having you do it for me!"

Oh, I would love to. "Does that mean you want me around to transfigure things for you, Evans?"

She blushed. Did I hit a nerve?

Drat! I had made the mistake of allowing myself to look at her calves, and now my eyes were wandering all the way up to her soft, creamy thighs…

"Well, I mean, as long as we're here at school, I mean, you're _always_ around, Potter…"

"I do it on purpose, I can assure you," I told her lightly, hoping to change the suddenly awkward atmosphere. "But here, if you want to get a good mark this year, start out by trying to draw on this."

I pushed the parchment toward her and she pulled out one of her ink bottles. She had only just started to draw the second picture when a large wet drop landed on it, spattering the fresh ink and making it blend all the lines together.

"Evans?"

She looked up and pain shot through me at the tears in her eyes. "Am I still doing it wrong?" She sobbed.

"What? No, you were doing just fine, Evans, it's certainly nothing to cry over---"

She managed to quiet down but the tears started coming faster. I debated hugging her for a moment, then decided that maybe a reassuring rub of her back might not get me hexed into the hospital wing.

"What's wrong?" I asked softly.

"Nothing," she mumbled, trying to brush it off. "I'm just feeling a little overly emotional, nothing, really."

"Evans," I said sternly, "I know you better than that. Tell me what's wrong."

She looked up at me with those miserable, tear-filled eyes and admitted, "My boyfriend broke up with me."

What?

Why would---who one earth---what an idiot! How could you have _Lily Evans_ and throw her away?

"Oh, Evans, don't worry, don't feel bad about it," I told her, still rubbing her back as soothingly as I could with the fresh anger coursing through me. How could that git break Lily's heart? How DARE he? Oh, I would get him for this, that's for sure. Remus will have to agree that this definitely qualifies as an insult. "He's a complete, git, Evans, he doesn't know what he's missing. No one in their right mind would break up with you, Evans, absolutely _no one_."

She continued sobbing for a minute before something seemed to suddenly occur to her. "Aren't you mad, or at least surprised, that I even _had_ a boyfriend, Potter?"

"Ummm, well….Sirius might have told me a few months ago."

She looked at me in shock. Then her face smoothed out slightly. "Sirius must have not found out who he was then."

"Ummm…Diggory, right?"

The shock was back on her face, accompanied by a fair amount of confusion.

"And you found out a few months ago?"

I nodded.

"And you've never once tried to hex or curse him?"

I shook my head.

"Why not?"

"Well, Evans, I thought he made you happy. And he seemed like a decent enough guy," I lied. Anyone who would sneak around with Lily was bad news from the start. Everyone knew that I fancied her, and most people had learned to respect that.

Apparently this Diggory had never gotten the message.

Her eyes welled up with fresh tears. Oh, no, that's not supposed to happen. She's supposed to be feeling _better_, not worse. But I couldn't complain too much, because the next moment I found her in my arms as her sobs escalated.

"Shhh, shh, it's alright," I told her as my arms wrapped around her of their own accord. "It's all going to be alright. You'll forget about him before you know it, Evans. He never deserved you, not even on his best day."

She continued to sob silently into my shirt for some time before her tears started to slow. I held her as tightly as I could to keep her from shaking. Merlin, how is it that there's absolutely _nothing_ that I can do right now?

She looked up at me quite suddenly, an odd expression on her face.

"How come you always call me Evans?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"How come you never call me Lily?"

"Well, because, you didn't want me to, remember?"

She frowned. "When did I say that?"

"You said that only your friends were allowed to call you Lily, and that I wasn't, so I stopped."

She continued frowning up at me for a moment. "So, you're telling me that you call me Evans because that's what you thought I wanted?"

I nodded.

Merlin, I really want to smooth that frown off of her face.

"So, if I told you that I wanted you to call me Lily, you would?"

I nodded again. Then I asked, "Does that mean you'll let me be your friend now?"

She thought about it for a moment. "Yes," she said, and her frown started to disappear. "We can be friends now."

xxxxxxxx

Exams are in little over a month, and I can't believe how much help Potter has been. Well, _James_, I call him that now. I can't believe I forgot that I told him that so long ago, but, honestly, it's even more unbelievable that he remembered. And not only did he remember, but he also _did_ it, just because I wanted him to.

It just seems odd.

He usually does what I ask him to, but never in the way that I want. For him to actually do what I say, follow my instructions to the letter, because he thought I wanted it, now that was impressive. And he did it for five years, no less.

And then there was this whole business with Amos Diggory. James knew. He _knew_ and he didn't do anything to hurt him, not one single hex thrown in the hall, or a prank pulled. Nothing.

It was pretty damn near impossible.

Not to mention incredibly impressive.

I didn't know that James could actually control himself. This was definitely welcome knowledge.

And it helped ease my qualms about leaning on him the way I have been since that night, about two weeks ago. We've been much more talkative, and I have to admit that there are a lot of interesting things to learn about James Potter.

The first thing I learned is that he is a good friend, genuinely loyal and caring. At first I thought it might just be me, that he was trying to pull me in to get that date he's been pining over for so long.

But then I noticed that I wasn't really all that special. That is just how he is with his friends. Although I suppose that logic should have brought me to this conclusion, considering how the Marauders stick together like glue.

I found this out the day after that night, that tutoring session during which I suddenly found a crack in my comfortable old view of his character.

I was sitting at breakfast, alone, as it was a Saturday morning and none of my friends were awake, when James came to invite me to sit with him. He actually got up from his seat with the Marauders and walked over to ask. No shouting across the table, no making a fuss. He just asked politely.

I said yes.

So he helped me gather my bag, as it was spilling over with drawings of different stages of metamorphosis that I had been working on, and we moved down to sit with his friends.

"So, Moony," Black was saying, "How are you feeling today?"

"Pretty well, all things considered. I think I'll be feeling less ill tonight, after all," Remus looked at me and explained, "I was a little under the weather yesterday."

Pettigrew snorted. "A _little_, Moony? I've never seen you so—"

"Ill," James finished quickly. He turned to me, "Poor Moony couldn't handle himself yesterday evening. He was feeling incredibly poor."

I nodded, unsure if I should let them know that it wasn't necessary to keep up this charade. I had figured Remus out last year, during one of our evening rounds. I left it be for now. Maybe it would be better to just tell James, and then he could tell them in a more private place.

"Well, Remus, I really hope you're feeling better soon," I said with a concerned smile. There, that shouldn't give him away at the breakfast table. I'll just tell James later, so that they know they don't have to worry around me.

"So, Lily," Black said, "I hear that we're allowed to call you that now."

"What?" Pettigrew piped up. "I didn't know that. Prongs, why didn't you tell us?"

"Well, Wormtail," Remus told him jokingly, "You were busy stuffing your mouth with his pumpkin pasties at the time, so you probably missed it when Prongs told us."

Pettigrew's mouth fell open. "You won't, you know, _hex_ us if we call you that?"

James laughed. "You make it sound as if she gave me permission to call her a dirty word, Wormtail. And it's just _me_, Sirius, she's _my_ friend now."

"Nonsense, Prongs, any friend of yours is a friend of mine." Black stood up and offered me his hand from across the table. "It's a pleasure to make your renewed acquaintance, M'Lady, and I do hope I'm more successful at avoiding your wand from here on out."

I had to smile at that. I took his hand and answered simply, "I hope you will be too."

I couldn't help but notice James's big grin. I turned to him and said, "You could take a lesson from him, James. Do your best to avoid my wand."

His grin only got bigger. "Oh, but Lily, I take immense pride in giving you a proper amount of practice for all your curses and hexes."

"Oh, that's a good point, Prongs," Remus said with a smile, "Lily, you'll have to find someone else to do target practice on."

"How about Diggory?" Pettigrew put in.

And that just ruined it. I had been having such a pleasant breakfast, but to bring up Amos so soon…

"Wormtail, er, I don't think this is the best time, mate," Sirius said awkwardly. James just looked at my expression.

"Why don't you and I go for a walk outside?" He asked gently. I nodded and he turned to the others, "We'll see you lot later."

As we headed out toward the lake he started.

"Don't mind Wormtail," he said softly, "He's a right idiot most of the time but he means well. He doesn't hurt people intentionally."

I just looked at him and nodded.

"Are you going to be okay?" He prodded.

His big eyes were so sincere that I couldn't help but nod. I'm not sure why I wanted to make him feel better, but suddenly I did. I don't want him to worry that I won't get along with his best friends.

Although, honestly, I was starting to feel a little better. I can't believe that I would find comfort in James Potter of all people, but I couldn't deny it. Something about his presence made me feel better about the break-up. Maybe it was his sincere concern.

He steered me toward the lake, and we both dipped our feet into the cool water. It was finally warming up again around Hogwarts, with small spring wildflowers beginning to open from the sunshine. I let the water wash over my ankles, dipping my feet further into the lake to help calm myself.

The familiar euphoria came over me as the hurt ebbed away into the water. I wondered, not for the first time, if the lake water was magical that way. If it was somehow bewitched to release the tension.

I looked over at James and found him watching me. He smiled. "Is the water working yet?"

I was a little surprised. "You know?"

"Of course." He smiled at my expression. "Lily, do you really think that I've noticed _nothing_ after all these years?"

"Well, I just didn't expect that you would actually bother, I suppose. I mean, what am I, so that you would actually pay so much attention?"

He chuckled softly. "I can't believe you actually have to ask that question."

We sat there quietly for some time, just relaxing out in the spring air. I pushed my shoes aside so that I could lie back on the grass, and James did the same. I toyed with the idea of bringing up Remus. I suppose that it was as good a time as any, and we were completely alone on the grounds. No one would overhear.

I took a deep breath.

"James?" I began tentatively.

"Hmm?" He murmured. Merlin, he sounds completely content. Should I bother him with it right now?

"I, I wanted to tell you something…about Remus." He turned his head to stare into my eyes. I had to gather my courage again. I'm not sure why, it's not like I was telling him that _I_ was a werewolf. And I accept Remus completely, there's no problem there. So I started again. "Well, I noticed that you were sort of tip-toeing around an issue at breakfast, and I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to worry about it. At least, not around me."

He looked at me quizzically. "What are you trying to tell me, Lily?"

"I know that Remus is a werewolf," I blurted. Then I tried again, "I just wanted to let you know, so that, you know, you don't have to stop talking about it just because I'm around. You won't be giving up his secret to anyone who doesn't already know."

James's eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned his face away.

"You know?" He asked.

"Yes."

Suddenly there was anger in his voice. "Don't you go treating him any differently, now. He's the same Remus that he's always been. He's compassionate and kind and I won't have you treating him poorly."

Once again, I was surprised by James Potter. I hadn't known that he really felt such a strong bond to his friends. So I suddenly felt the need to reassure him.

"James, I've known it for a year now, have you seen me treat him any different?"

He shook his head, almost grudgingly.

"And I have no intention to start now," I informed him gently. I found that I was quite happy to have heard him stand up for his friend. "I just wanted to let you know that I knew."

He looked over at me again, starting to calm himself down. He nodded in acknowledgement.

We laid there for a while after that, just relaxing in the grass.

xxxxxxxx

"James! James! Guess what!" I ran to him, entirely unable to contain myself. He smiled at me from his place in line.

"How did it go?" He asked, confidence in his voice. Well, I suppose he should have confidence in his teaching skills. They worked, after all.

"I did it! I transfigured my—well, I can't actually tell you, because then she'll take away my marks, but I did it! And it worked _completely_!"

He was grinning now, but then he wiped it from his face and replaced it with a mock-solemn look. "Are you sure?"

I nodded happily.

"You didn't miss any little bits?"

I shook my head in complete euphoria.

His face split into another grin. "I knew you could do it."

I couldn't contain myself. "Thank you! Thank you! _Thank you_!" I bubbled. Then I reached up and kissed his cheek.

And then I realized what I did.

He touched his cheek very softly, surprise in his eyes.

"Umm," I said, fumbling to erase what I was _sure_ he was thinking, "I mean, just as a 'thank you', not…not, anything…"

Just then, Remus was my savior. He came out through the classroom doors and said, "Hey Prongs, Wormtail. Don't worry about the practical, you'll manage it easily."

He had just seemed to notice my red face when I turned and walked quickly away.

xxxxxxxx

So, I hope you liked it!


	9. 9: Summer Lovin'

Hello Everyone!

This is chapter nine. It's a little bit cliché, not as much conflict and resolution as one would like for a proper story, but it's more to set up the changes in their relationship. Anyways, I hope you like it, and let me know what you think!

As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed, it's always great to read them!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its characters, but if James Potter were to magically become a real person I wouldn't mind.**

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

I looked at the letter in my hands.

Should I send it?

It could go either way, really. I couldn't tell to save my life. It's times like this that I wished I hadn't been so horrible in divination. Although really, _everyone_ was horrible in divination. It was such a waste, that subject.

Oh, right, I was just wishing that I could see into the future about two seconds ago. Well, I suppose it does come in handy occasionally.

I certainly know how I would _like_ this to go. But how am I to know what sort of response I'll get? Things don't just change so suddenly after six years.

I looked back down at the note I had written.

_James,_

_I'm having a small get-together for my birthday, and I hoped you would come. I plan to invite Remus as well. I don't know if this will be a shock to you, after all this is definitely something new---_

I stopped reading right there. This is definitely too awkward and desperate. I need to go for something more casual.

Running my hand though my hair, I pulled out my desk chair. Then I blushed, realizing that I run my hand through my hair much more often now. It's a habit that I picked up from hanging around James so much. Those last few months of school were terrifying.

They were also oddly comforting. After a month away, I was literally aching to see him again.

Oh, so confusion is also a new emotion that I can add to the list.

I wonder if I should be comforted by the fact that I can at least name these new emotions, or if I should worry that I'm listing them like I have obsessive-compulsive disorder.

I do think that I should definitely worry about the fact that any one person can cause all this self-conflict. Especially as that someone has previously only had the privilege of inspiring one emotion---disgust.

Although to his credit, I'm beginning to think that it was the only emotion I truly experienced all those years. As far as emotions go, it was unquestionably…intense.

I ran my hand through my hair again.

I really need to stop doing that.

Even if just thinking about him makes me so incredibly confused, I still want to see him. It's such an odd desire. It's just…I actually like the comfort of the confusion. I mean, I don't understand why I'm so confused, but I still feel comforted, and that's what I miss.

Merlin, this is so bloody odd.

I tried the letter again. Maybe I should make it just a short note. That should be casual and friendly enough.

_James,_

_I'm having a little birthday party at my house on the twentieth, and I'd like you to come._

_Hope to see you,_

_Lily_

There, that's casual and uncomplicated. And I will invite Remus, just so that James will have someone other than me to talk to.

xxxxxxxxx

"James! JAMES!"

I groaned as I opened my eyes cautiously. One hand lifted to check my hair.

Yep, sopping wet.

"Sirius," I groaned.

"Oh, good, you're awake. I was afraid you'd died."

That actually got my attention.

"I haven't died?" I asked, confused. I was certain that I had. Well, actually no, I had some amount of belief that I was, in fact, alive, which is why I did, in fact, promptly faint.

Sirius looked at me oddly. "No, mate, you're alive."

I shot up to a sitting position and prayed that the letter hadn't gotten wet. Oh, thank Merlin, it's still dry. My fingers were a bit uncooperative as I tried to re-open the envelope.

_James…I'd like you to come…_

I just couldn't get over those words. I mean, Lily Evans has actually invited me to her _house_. HER HOUSE! I mean…really!

"Prongs, what is that?"

I just held out the letter to him, unable to put a voice to such happiness.

Sirius didn't quite believe it at first either. I could see it in his eyes. Then he blinked a few times and said, "Yeah, I think that's her hand, mate, I've seen it in class."

I just looked at him. I hadn't even considered that. But then, I realized that I had known her hand immediately. I saw it many times during tutoring, that's why the thought hadn't crossed my mind.

"Blimey, her _birthday_? Will you bring her a present?"

"Yeah, I suppose," I said, a little intrepid now. "What do think I should get her?"

"I dunno, Prongs, but don't worry," Sirius told me, "we'll think of something."

"Boys!" Mum called from downstairs, "Come down for breakfast!"

Sirius tried to dry his mess with his wand but it wasn't working very well so I waved him off. "Don't worry about it, Padfoot, it'll dry on its own."

He beat me downstairs, as I was still feeling a bit dizzy from the unusual fainting spell, and was already talking to Mum when I made it to the kitchen.

"So, Mrs. Potter, if you were about to turn seventeen, what would you like for your birthday?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius Black," Mum said, "I know very well that it is not your birthday. Your birthday is in February."

"No, of course it is. I'm asking because James was just invited to a birthday party."

Mum turned to look at me. "Really, James?"

I looked down a bit. I've been invited to millions of parties, but I never actually tell Mum or Dad. I mean, what would be the point in that?

"Yeah, um, Mum, I got invited to a girl's birthday…it's not really a _party_…more of a small get-together…she's not really the party type…but I wanted to get her something…you know, seventeen and all…"

Mum looked at me oddly. Probably wondering why I was suddenly blushing in embarrassment. I was wondering it myself.

"Well, dear, if you'd like to get her a present I suppose it would depend on how close you are to the girl," Mum was surveying me with her dangerous eyes. Those were the eyes that always knew when I had something to hide.

"Oh, they're very close," Sirius was helpful enough to inform her, "She's the only girl that James has never stopped talking to for the past six years."

Well, at least that was technically honest.

"Oh, well, dear, if you're that close I'm sure you'd know what she would want. Don't worry too much, you'll find something."

I sighed. Of course I would find _something_, but couldn't she give me a bit more insight into the workings of the labyrinth that is called the female mind?

I mean, this is going to be the first gift that she actually accepts from me, and I'd like it to be something that she _likes_.

Shopping it is then. I'll make Sirius come. He knows more about wooing girls than I do.

Although, on second thought, he's much better at wooing girls that are no where near Lily's league, so maybe I'll ask for Remus's help as well. And while I'm writing letters, I should respond to Lily's invitation. She didn't actually give me her address.

xxxxxxxxx

"Actually, James, when you wrote I was surprised. But it works out well because she sent me an invitation too," Remus said as he stretched out on my bed.

"Really?" Sirius said, looking a little annoyed, "I didn't get one."

"She doesn't really talk to you," Remus reminded him.

"Good point," Sirius admitted. "I suppose that as long as Pettigrew didn't get one, I'll be willing to forgive your future wife for this, Prongs."

I looked up in surprise. "When did you admit it would happen?"

He grinned. "Oh, now I'm offended. Did you really think that we wouldn't notice the change in your relationship?"

"What change?" I was playing dumb on purpose. I really needed to hear an unbiased view.

"Prongs," Sirius said as though he was scolding me, "We're not blind. It's obvious that she's warmed up to you."

"Just don't do anything stupid," Remus added.

A wide grin split my face. "_Really_?"

They both nodded.

Just then, her owl fluttered through my open window and dropped a letter on my head.

Yep, this is definitely Lily's owl. If those green eyes hadn't given it away, the attitude would have.

I ripped it open and read as quickly as I could, eager for her words.

_James,_

_My parent's house is on 221 W. Wabash Dr. in Lancaster. The party is sort of an all-day thing, starting at about noon, but you're certainly welcome to drop in at any time. And I'm sure that you've already spoken to Remus, and he is coming. Sirius and Peter are more than welcome. Please insist from me that they come._

_-Lily_

"What does it say?"

"Let him read it first, Padfoot."

"Umm," I said, suddenly feeling very nervous again, "She just gave me her address, that's all. And she says that you and Peter are welcome too."

"Well, that's very polite," Remus said, looking at Sirius. Then he turned to me. "So what will you bring her as a present?"

"I don't know," I admitted. I had been thinking about this for the past two days, since the first letter came. "I suppose I'll just know it when I see it."

"Fair enough," Sirius said. "Let's go get some lunch downstairs. We're going to need the stamina if you're planning on just wandering around until you find something suitable."

xxxxxx

"That's it. That's what I'm getting her."

"_Finally_," Sirius complained, "I thought we were going to be at this for another three hours!"

Remus frowned. "Why don't you just transfigure her one, James? Wouldn't it be cheaper?"

"She's definitely worth it. What else am I going to spend my money on?"

Remus shrugged in answer to that. He had found his gift hours ago, Sirius too. They had been waiting on my know-it-when-you-see-it method. But I just want to find her the perfect gift, and now I have.

"Well, she better appreciate this," Sirius muttered. "They say it's the thought that counts, but here you've expended massive amounts of thought _and_ money."

"I'm sure she'll love it," Remus reassured me. But I didn't need reassurance. I already knew that this was meant to be hers. And she'll love it the moment she sees it.

Although, I'm also meant to be hers, and she didn't love me the moment she saw me.

Okay, now maybe I do need a little reassurance. What if she doesn't like it?

That's okay, though. I know my Lily. She'll come around eventually.

xxxxxxxx

Sitting room clean, bedroom clean, bathrooms clean, kitchen mopped, food ordered, snacks ready, okay. I think everything is set.

What time is it?

Half-past ten. Wow, I guess I'm more efficient than I thought. Although, I did go to bed last night at midnight and get back up this morning at six. Well, I had to make sure everything was spotless. I can't have my friends thinking that I'm a slob at home. They would never clean the dormitory again! It's hard enough getting them to help clean as is.

I laughed at myself. Six years and I'm still holding out hope that _this_ year they'll be clean.

Well, I suppose now is a good time to have my breakfast. Snacks will be out until about three, I ordered the food for two o'clock but they're always an hour late, so that should work out nicely. And I bought plenty of extra snacks as there are boys coming this year. I'm sure that James and Sirius alone could eat through everything I have…

Hmmm, maybe I should run out now and buy more.

Yes, I think I will.

xxxxxx

And that should be Lacy and Malinda, I thought as I went to open the door. Alice had been here early to help set up. And she was somewhat disgruntled when she saw that there was nothing left for her to do. Maybe I am a bit of a perfectionist sometimes, but I just like things to be right, that's all.

"Oh! Hello, boys, come in," I said, taken slightly by surprise. I hadn't expected them to be so punctual. And I hadn't expected to be a little flustered at the sight of a present in James's hands.

Remus, probably noticing how I was blatantly staring at James, said, "I'll just collect these, shall I? They can sit here on the side table."

"Oh, yes, thanks, Remus," I said, coming back to my senses. I had forgotten the intensity of the feeling, well the blend of feelings really, that James brought with him. And I forgot just how much I enjoyed that oddly confusing comfort.

James put his box on the table with the others and then leaned in to whisper, "You can't open mine until later. I don't want everyone to see."

I nodded. "Okay." Turning to the group as a whole I smiled and spoke louder, "Snacks in the kitchen, boys, I think I have enough even for you lot."

Pettigrew made to run for the doorway but Sirius caught him by his shirt.

"Slow down, Wormtail, I don't think she meant it as a challenge."

When we settled into the kitchen table I took a good look around at the boys. I have to say, they did a fair job of dressing like muggles.

"So," I decided to ask, "Who was the expert on dressing you all?"

"That would be Remus," James told me with a smile. "I wanted to wear a skirt, but he wouldn't have it."

I couldn't help but laugh.

"And I wanted to put Wormtail in a dress," Sirius added, "But James wouldn't let me." Then he winked at me.

Really?

"Thanks, Prongs," Pettigrew said through some cheese puffs.

"No problem, Wormtail," James answered with an affectionate smile. Almost like an older brother would smile.

"Lily, would you mind giving us a little tour of the table?" I had been waiting for Remus to ask. He had spent the last five minutes smirking as he watched James try to inspect the muggle snacks without being rude.

So I smiled and told him.

James pulled a bowl toward him. "So these are, pletsels, you said?"

I laughed, I couldn't help myself. He was just so hopeless with muggle things. I really wonder why he's still in Muggle Studies.

"No, mate," Sirius answered for me. "_Pretzels_. There's an 'r' in it."

Sirius, who was surprisingly very good at Muggle Studies, had already pulled a bowl of chips and dip toward him and started chowing down. That boy really does eat like a dog sometimes. I was half expecting him to simply dunk his face in the bowl and lap it all up.

"Lily! I can't find the tablecloth you wanted," Alice called from upstairs. I immediately went up to help her.

"So, how's it going down there?" She asked as soon as we reached the privacy of my room.

"Oh, it's going fine, I suppose. They're learning all about muggle snacks," I told her with a small giggle.

She cracked a smile. "Yeah, thanks for filling me in on them earlier," she said. "Where have Lacy and Malinda got to?"

"I don't know," I told her, not really concerned. James had been sitting next to me and I had completely forgotten about the other two girls. They were always late to social things.

"Well, alright then, let's get back downstairs. I want some more of those cheesy spoofs you gave me earlier."

I giggled at her name for them. "Cheese puffs, Alice, cheese puffs."

"Call them whatever you like, they're delicious under any name!"

Just as we reached the bottom of the stairs I heard the doorbell and rushed off to get it. I came back into the kitchen with Lacy and Malinda at my heels.

"James!" They squealed simultaneously.

I don't know why it bothered me, but it did.

"Ladies," he said, inclining his head politely, "Take a seat, please."

There were no seats left by him, as Remus sat to one side and James held my seat for me, so they walked around to sit at the opposite end of the table. For some reason, I felt an odd sense of vindication. I can't fathom why.

They tried to flirt with James from the other end of the table, but when he was unresponsive they soon gave up and tried their luck on Sirius.

The day went incredibly quickly after that.

And I have to say, it was a very happy birthday.


	10. Heading for Hogwarts

Hey Everyone!

Chapter 10 here. I know it's completely expected and such, but the whole point of this was to understand _how_ the characters developed into JKR's version of what happened, not to make up a new version. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

As Always, THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed! You are all wonderful!

**Disclaimer: James Potter is still not mine.**

xxxxxx

_Dear Professor Minerva McGonagall,_

_ I request your company in my office tomorrow morning to discuss the matter of Head Boy and Girl appointments, as I intend to select both students from your house. I shall expect you for tea and crumpets at 10 tomorrow._

_ Good Evening to you,_

_ Headmaster Albus Dumbledore_.

Well, this should be an interesting morning tea. No doubt he would choose to appoint Lily Evans and Remus Lupin as the Heads this year. Both were exemplary students and models in behavior.

That much would be a bore, of course, but I always love conversing with Dumbledore. He is, by far, the most quick-witted man I have ever had the fortune to meet. It is a comfort to think that I might be so vitally aware when I reached his age.

Of course, he is only one hundred and three, young for a wizard by any standard, but his accomplishments have given him such wisdom and appreciation of life that I cannot but help enjoying his conversation. He is such a lovely father-figure, and the students who know him love him like a grandfather. I don't know how I shall manage to stay at Hogwarts if he should ever leave his post as headmaster.

Best not to think of it now. There will be tea tomorrow, and many after that, where I will continue to enjoy his company.

xxxxxxx

"Ah, my dear Minerva! Do sit down!" Dumbledore gestured enthusiastically. "I am most anxious to hear your opinion on my decision."

"Thank you Albus," I said, taking a seat. "Indeed I cannot be more thrilled. Nor can I say that I am surprised this year. I feel certain that Miss Evans and Mr. Lupin will not disappoint you."

Dumbledore smiled. But it was not a smile of agreement. Rather, it was a knowing smile, as though he was keeping something from me. I waited for a hint.

"Ah, I am sure they would not have. Or rather, I am sure that Mr. Lupin would not have disappointed me, Minerva. But I have not chosen him for Head Boy."

I attempted to sit up straighter before I remembered that I always sat up straight. My mother drilled that into my manners before she ever let me leave the house as a child.

"You have not chosen Remus Lupin?"

"I have not."

"I fail to understand, Albus. I thought your note said that both students were from my house this year."

"Indeed they are, Minerva. Do not fret," he assured me. His eyes were twinkling. "Please, do have some tea. Would you like a crumpet? I asked the house elves for cherry, especially."

I leaned forward, taking the crumpet he offered. A large kettle was sitting on the middle of his small table. He motioned that I should help myself to a large, steaming cup.

I glanced at him curiously. "Is there another of my Gryffindor boys that you feel appropriate for the post? My _Marauders_ as they prefer to be called."

"Indeed there is."

"Oh? And pray, tell me which of them has your favor," I said dryly. "Is it Black or Potter, neither of whom can hold a wand without cursing someone with it? Or Pettigrew, whose only claim to fame is his inexplicable association with those two?"

I was quite enjoying this exchange, and, to a smaller extent, the suspense of the question. But really, which of my boys could Dumbledore want for the position if not Lupin? It was traditional, after all, to appoint prefects to the post.

"I intend to appoint Lily Evans and James Potter."

I laughed. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at the rare sound.

"I rather thought that would entertain you; however, I assure you that I do intend to appoint Mr. Potter to the position. I think you will find that he does indeed suit the post better than any of my prefects."

"Really, I hadn't even considered. Although he does carry a respect with the students, and Merlin knows that he receives top marks in _my_ class. He is a bright boy."

"Exactly, Minerva, _exactly_. He will make an exemplary Head Boy, I am sure, and he has been hexing students in the halls much less as of late. I will have another talk with him about it."

"But _really_, Albus, what made you think of Potter? It still does not seem an obvious appointment to me. It is traditional thing, I am sure, to appoint prefects to the post."

"You will agree, Minerva, that none of the prefects carry themselves the way James Potter does. He has incredible respect among the student body. They will follow his example, and Miss Evans will insure that he sets a good one."

I caught another twinkle of his eye.

"I think you have an ulterior motive, Albus."

His smile turned mischievous.

"Really, Minerva, what could that be?"

"I'm sure it has nothing to do with match-making."

And then Dumbledore did something I rarely see him do. He grinned, ear to ear.

"I confess! Young love is my weakness. Although Miss Evans is entirely too stubborn. The Potter boy is obviously _meant_ for her."

He was slightly dramatic at the end, although I was certain that he meant every word. I smiled slightly. They_ were_ a perfect match.

I hid a slight pang that no man had ever loved me that way.

"I daresay you've become a hopeless romantic, Albus. And what will you tell Filch when he finds them in his broom cupboards?"

"Oh, I daresay the brooms won't mind. Why, those cupboards are nearly useless anyway," Dumbledore laughed. "Do you approve of my appointment?"

I shook my head slightly in disbelief. "I will become accustomed to the idea. But really, Albus, _James Potter_?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "I've given you what the muggles call, 'fair warning.'"

xxxxxxx

Okay, so that was a really short chapter. But I felt I that I had to share it. I was a bit bored with everyone taking it from James and Lily's point of view, and it just sort of came to me in McGonagall's voice. Anyways, I've gotten some questions about James's present. I promise you'll know in the next chapter. I didn't give it much detail though, it just didn't really fit, but if you guys ask for a description I'll give you one.

Anyways, I hope you liked this super-short chapter! I promise it will be longer next time.


	11. Close Quarters

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 11 here. Once again, not much conflict and resolution, but still a sort of set up for the change of their relationship. Keep in mind that months have gone by with them on friendlier terms, and we're only getting snippets rather than a whole account of each little detail.

**Disclaimer: I don't own James Potter; therefore, I am not JKRowling and I don't own any of the other Harry Potter characters either.**

And thanks to everyone who reviewed and added me to their favorites/alert lists! I really appreciate it!

xxxxxxx

"Hurry, Padfoot! It's about to be off!"

"I'm coming, Prongs! Merlin, you'd think that the _Head Boy_ could have been better at waking up on time. You act like it's my fault that we're here late."

"I might have slept in a bit, but at least _I'm_ making up time! You're strolling along as if you expect the Hogwarts Express to wait for Sirius Black—"

"The one and only, Sirius Black, mind you," He grunted as he tried to lift his trunk one-handed onto the train. I went to help him and then we shoved my trunk up over the lip of the doorway. Then we went off in search of Remus and Peter.

"I can't look for too long, mate," I reminded Sirius, "I have to go the prefects' meeting in about twenty minutes."

"Right, right, we'll get you there on time. If we can't find them then I'll just take your trunk and you can---Moony! Wormtail! There you are!"

"Hey, mates, good to see you. I can't stay, I've got to get down to the prefects' meeting," I told them. It still felt odd, to be in a position of authority rather than flouting it.

"I'll just come with you now," Remus said, "I've just got to get this trunk up top."

His progress was so slow that Sirius just took it from him and pushed it up himself.

"Merlin, before you know it people will be saying that the Marauders are actually _respectable_," Sirius joked, "What with one Head Boy and another prefect to boast of."

I grinned and Remus set off with me down the hall. He soon became caught up with Mary McKinnon and I continued to the prefects' compartments alone.

When I pushed open the door I found Lily shuffling papers.

I smiled. "And how is our Head Girl on this lovely day?"

She looked up and gave me one of her breath-taking smiles. I had to concentrate on my knees to be sure that they were still working. Letters just didn't compare to her actual presence.

"I still can't believe that they actually made you Head Boy."

"Yeah, Dumbledore is officially off his rocker," I grinned, "And you have to deal with me all year."

She waved her wand jokingly at me. "Don't you worry, I can handle you."

I went to sit with her and looked through her papers. "Did you write all of these up yourself?"

"No, these are given out every year. Let me give you a quick run-through seeing as you've never been here before…"

And so I was then forced to listen to the meeting _twice_. Once when she told me privately and once when she said it to a carriage full of prefects. When she finally dismissed everyone I noticed something glimmer at her wrist.

Happiness swelled inside me. I don't know why. It was a simple thing, really. Beyond simple even, almost silly.

"You're wearing it," I said softly.

"Hm?" She asked, turning, "Oh, yes, I am." Then, after a slightly awkward moment of silence, "Do you like it?"

"Of course. You wear it well."

She smiled, and I melted. I don't know how I managed to remain standing this time. "Well, I suppose I'll see you at the feast, James."

xxxxxx

I looked down at my wrist and sighed. It was really one of the most beautiful things that I had ever seen.

Certainly the most beautiful thing that I have ever owned.

I laughed at myself. Somehow I owe the best of my possessions to James Potter.

Ironic, isn't it?

Although honestly, it doesn't bother me the way it would have just a few months ago. But something about him has changed, and so I don't mind wearing a symbol of our friendship.

A soft hand on my shoulder made me jump.

"Oh, 'morning, James."

"Morning, Lily," he answered with a smile, "Dumbledore gave me the directions to our new dorms just now. Do you want to try finding them before first period?"

I looked down at the time table McGonagall had just given me. "Actually, I have a free period, so this is a good time."

James looked over my shoulder. "Finally given up divination, have you? I always knew you were smarter than you looked."

I smacked his shoulder.

"Hey! I was only joking!"

"Come on," I said, taking his arm to stand, "Let's go find these new dorms."

xxxxxxxx

All of the Gryffindor seventh years were in my dorm, wandering around and discovering the odd magical traps that Lily and I had found on our first day. It was quite amusing to watch, really. I caught the smirk on Lily's face as well.

"Why don't you two have rooms?" Sirius was complaining on my behalf, having not yet found the hidden doorways, "You'd think that they could at least give the Head Boy and Girl beds to sleep on."

"Well, Padfoot," I said, trying to steer everyone away from the wisecrack about beds that was sure to make Lily blush, "We have our own little kitchenette and a living room and all. I mean, it's not like they skimped on accommodations."

"I agree with Sirius," Alice was saying. Oh no, little Alice Prewett _never_ had a problem making comments about Lily and me. "I mean, it's not like you absolutely _need_ two beds, either. You could make do with just one, but is it here? No, not a single bed to be found."

I was surprised that Lily did not blush at all. Perhaps she had expected the remark and was determined to keep her composure.

"Is this when I should show you my room, girls, so that you don't start telling people that I sleep with James on the couch?"

"Ooh, _I'll_ sleep with you on the couch, James," Malinda said suggestively.

"Me too," Lacy said. I hadn't realized that she was close enough to touch me until she caressed my arm. "I'll even pile on with you _and_ Malinda if that's what you—"

"Okay!" I jumped away without any concern of being rude. "Tempting offer, ladies, really, but I'm going to have to pass."

"Ooh," Lacy pouted, "Why? We won't be any trouble, will we Malinda?"

My eyes slipped to Lily, who had a bit of a scowl on her face. She had always been annoyed with the girls that followed me around and simpered like spoiled kittens. I had only recently understood the annoyance myself. Unfortunately, I had encouraged them for too long, under Sirius's and, oddly enough, Remus's advice, and I was left with no clue of how to shake them off.

Though I knew Lily was dying to retort, she kept determinedly silent. It was Remus who came to my rescue.

"The Head Boy needs his sleep, ladies, he has responsibilities now."

They looked incredibly put-out until Peter added, "_I'll_ sleep on the couch with you ladies!"

Suddenly I could tell they wouldn't so much as sit on a couch any time soon.

"Now," I started in an attempt to change the subject, "I consider it an issue of Marauder honor that the rest of you boys find all the magical traps in this new dorm."

"Aw, Prongs," Sirius grinned, "You just need help finding them yourself."

"Lily and I found them all on Monday, thank you very much," I said, feigning insult, "And we've already managed to find the hidden doors to our rooms as well."

Drat! Wrong way to end that. I had almost had them distracted for a moment there.

"Ooh!" Lacy and Malinda squealed simultaneously, "You're rooms are _hidden_? Oh, how _romantic_!"

Why on earth would a hidden room be romantic? Honestly, I really don't understand girls sometimes.

And really, I was getting sick of these two in particular. I can't believe that Lily has been cursed with their company in the Gryffindor dorms for the past six years. Oh well, at least she'll be getting away from them this year.

And she'll be spending all her time with me.

Oh, this is going to be _perfect_.

xxxxxxx

I rushed into charms just as the bell rang out across the grounds, signaling the start of the lesson, and dumped myself into the nearest seat available.

I hadn't realized that I ended up right in the middle of all the Marauders.

Well, actually, I was right in front of them, but that doesn't stop them if they want to talk to you.

I was just about to start taking notes when writing appeared on my parchment of its own accord.

_Why, Hello, Miss Lily. How nice of you to join us. – SB_

Should I bother writing back? What would be the point in answering such a sarcastic comment?

Oh, but sarcastic comments are my weakness.

_Well, you know how it is, Sirius. If I don't get up the sun doesn't shine. – LE_

I heard a low chuckle behind me.

_Well, James certainly seems to think so. – SB_

I tried my best to hide a smile. If Sirius said it, then it must be true…

_So, Miss Lily, how do you feel about that? – SB_

_ Annoyed, as always – LE_

_ No, you don't – SB_

_ Yes, I do – LE_

_ No, you don't – SB_

I sighed, annoyed with Sirius now, not James.

_And why don't you think that I feel as annoyed as always? – LE_

He chuckled behind me.

_Because if you were, you would have said so right away, and you didn't. – SB_

_Right, because you know me so well, Sirius – LE_

_Oh, and just in case you missed it, that was meant to be a sarcastic remark – LE_

_Ah, yes, sarcasm. Your first line of defense whenever you have to deal with any feelings you might admit having for James. You know, Miss Lily, I know you better than I would like to. Courtesy of James going on and on all the time, of course – SB_

Still? Oh Merlin, why am I smiling about it? There's nothing to be so smiley about, really.

_James doesn't know me well enough for you to know me yet. Did you actually want to say something to me in the first place? Why did you send me a note? – LE_

_Well, Miss Lily, there is no real reason why I started this note. But I have learned some very interesting things – SB_

I was getting slightly exasperated with him.

_And they are?- LE_

_Well, for starters, you have to think about every single thing you tell me, when you would normally answer with your usual sarcastic charm in a split second – SB_

_So? – LE_

_So, since our topic is my darling James, I can tell that you're just flustered by the subject matter – SB_

I had no good response to this.

_Think whatever you want, Sirius – LE_

_I know I'm right – SB_

This time I just didn't respond at all.

_You're still calling me 'Sirius' – SB_

I was confused.

_What difference does it make? – LE_

_See! And right there you avoided using my name, so that you wouldn't have to make a conscious decision! – SB_

Now I was really confused.

_Explain yourself, Black, or stop talking to me – LE_

_Ah, see, now you've made a choice, because you're annoyed with me. But you call me Sirius for the same reason that you call him James – SB_

Confused and frustrated. Stupid Sirius Black.

_I call you that because they're your _names_, or have you forgotten? – LE_

_Oh, how I always love more Lily-Evans-Sarcasm. It really is your best defense against life, Miss Lily – SB_

_WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? – LE_

_You're a smart girl, Miss Lily, I think you can figure it out if you try hard enough – SB_

_SIRIUS BLACK! Tell me right now what you're going on about! – LE_

He just chuckled behind me.

And he wouldn't answer me after that.

You know, they stereotype witches for talking in riddles, but Sirius Black can serve you riddle-cake with riddle-frosting on top and give you a nice tall glass of riddle-milk to wash it down with. I just cannot bloody understand him!

Maybe that's why James is so smart. He has to figure out his best mate all the time.

xxxxxxx

I groaned as I rolled over and pushed a button on the coo-coo-clock. Only two weeks into classes and I already don't want to get up in time for first period.

It doesn't help that today first period is transfiguration. James is a great tutor, but he tutors me _after_ we try it in class, so I have to suffer through two hours of being miserably off-base first.

I dragged myself out of bed and washed, then wrapped a fluffy bathrobe around myself before going to the sitting room to grab a bit of toast before actually going down for breakfast. And that's when I saw it.

I couldn't believe my eyes at first.

Then I couldn't believe that I was still staring.

Actually, 'ogling' might be a better word.

And…yeah, I'm still doing it.

I internally sigh with exasperation. What is wrong with me?

Oh Merlin! Now's he's turned around and caught me at it!

"Good morning, Lily," He smiled.

Oh, wow, the view is even better from this side!

"Morning," I managed to mumble. "I think you forgot your shirt, James."

Was that a blush on his cheeks?

"Right, er, sorry, I sleep with it off…and you're usually not up so early…I'll just go put one on…"

"Oh no," I said, suddenly finding my voice, "Not on my account, anyway, I was just going back to my room…" I trailed off, not knowing quite how to rip myself away from the sight in front of me.

Somehow, my brain managed to overpower my eyes, and I ended up back in my room within a respectable amount of time.

I think.

That image is certainly going to stick around for a while. I mean, that's to be expected, right? That happens when people take you by surprise.

He had already left when I came back down to the sitting room, but by this point I was in a blind rush to get to transfiguration on time. I ran into the classroom and skidded to a halt in front of my desk, narrowly avoiding knocking Alice out of her seat.

"What happened to you?" Alice whispered when McGonagall had stopped glaring.

"Overslept," I said, hoping she wouldn't push it further. What was I supposed to say? That I had woken up to the sexiest thing I had ever seen and I ran back to my room to hide out until it was gone?

I tried taking notes.

_Why, Miss Lily, how nice of you to join us! – SB_

Oh no, not again.

And that line of his is getting old anyway.

No, I'm just going to ignore him this time.

_Miss Lily, if you do not answer me I will just have to torture the truth out of Prongs – SB_

_The truth about what? – AP_

Oh, really, now! How did Alice get in on this conversation?

_Nothing, Alice, don't worry about it. And Sirius, you're just as bad as I am in this class, so you should stop distracting me and take some real notes – LE_

_ I am taking notes. On important things that effect my best mate. Now tell me why he walked in here this morning beet-red and grinning like an idiot – SB_

_ I don't have the faintest idea – LE_

_ Ah-ha! You do know! I knew it had to be something with you, Lily! – SB_

_ Oh, for Merlin's sake, Sirius, how do you know? – LE_

_ Well, Lily, it is fairly common knowledge that if James is grinning like an idiot it's either about you or a prank, and as Sirius obviously doesn't seem to be aware of any pranks… - AP_

I huffed. It's one thing for Sirius to read me so easily but for Alice to read James so quickly? How would she do that?

_She's right, Miss Lily. And also, if you didn't know you would have proposed something very sarcastic as to his idiotic grin and red face – SB_

_ I thought you were the one who said I was hiding behind my sarcasm, Sirius. Now all of a sudden I'm hiding things without it? – LE_

_ You hide things with your sarcasm, Lily? Oh, no one _ever_ would have guessed that – AP_

_ By the way, that was sarcasm in action – AP_

_ I don't know why James is bright red and grinning like that. Maybe he met up with Lacy or Malinda in some broom cupboard on the way here – LE_

_ Hiding behind your sarcasm again, Miss Lily, it's a crying shame – SB_

_ Oh, what the bloody hell do you want from me, Sirius? – LE_

_ I want you to tell me why your lover is in such a state – SB_

_ HE'S NOT MY LOVER! – LE_

_ Alright, boyfriend then – SB_

_ You have to admit, Lily, boyfriend does sound better than lover. At least that gives your love-children a chance to be passed off as legitimate---AP_

_ HE'S NOT MY LOVER OR MY BOYFRIEND AND I'M NOT HAVING ILLIGETIMATE CHILDREN WITH HIM! – LE_

_ Of course not, Miss Lily. You'll be having very legitimate children with him once you're married – SB_

_ Sirius Black, I'm going to murder you in your sleep – LE_

_ Ok, fine, just go on a date with James first – SB_

_ UGHHHHHHHH! – LE_

_ Did you just write out a scream on paper? – AP_

_ Yes – LE_

_ Hmm, that's odd – AP_

_ Yeah, Miss Lily is special like that. James thinks it's part of her charm – SB_

Frustrated with the conversation, I crumpled up the sheet of parchment and dug out a new one, discreetly putting a shield charm around it so that Sirius couldn't start writing to me again.

xxxxxxxx

I was up _before_ my clock went off this morning. I'm not entirely sure why, but I woke in a strange, giddy state. It was really rather odd, actually.

Somehow I wandered into the sitting room and settled onto the sofa. I decided that I could identify some of the odd giddiness; it felt as though I was waiting for something.

After discovering this, I thought that I should try to figure out what I was waiting for. I thought about it for a while before James came out of his room.

Fully clothed.

And when the excitement drained away, that's when I realized.

I had been waiting to see _him_! Shirtless, no less!

Oh no, what's happened here?

"Morning, Lily. How did you sleep?"

Merlin, has his voice always been that sexy?

"Fine, thanks," I said, thinking of how I had tossed and turned all night. He doesn't need to know that.

Without my permission, my mind conjured an image of sleeping next to him.

It was a much pleasanter image than I would like to admit.

My mind continued racing as we made our way to breakfast and classes.

The sky is officially falling.

Ok, this is okay, James Potter is attractive, that's okay to admit. For goodness sake half the female population of Hogwarts wants him. And the other half want him too, they just want Sirius a little more. I mean, if they've ever seen James with his shirt off, I can understand why.

Oh, Merlin, please tell me what to do now.

xxxxxxx

I hope you liked it!


	12. Rude Awakening

Hello again everyone!

This is Chapter 12. There's sort of an abrupt about-face in this chapter, but in my own defense I didn't do it on purpose. Although it probably is important to keep in mind that there is a war going on outside of Hogwarts, and they are about to enter the real world in about a year's time.

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Duh. Do we really have to do this every chapter? Oh, except for Anna Prynne, she's another name that I just came up with.**

And thank you again to everyone who has reviewed! I love reading reviews!

I hope you enjoy!

xxxxxxx

I was in History of Magic, filling my daily need of Lily-gazing, when something happened.

I caught her looking at me.

A smile spread itself over my face in response to this wonderful event. And then she blushed deep red and looked down at her notes. It didn't happen again during History of Magic, and it didn't happen at all in Potions, but it happened _three times_ in Transfiguration today.

Maybe that's just so that she could see how to do the spell properly. I'm always behind in our tutoring lessons.

But even if that is the only reason…we have Transfiguration again tomorrow.

xxxxxxx

"Try it like this, Wormtail, give it more of a sweep before you point," I showed him for the eleventh time. He just wasn't as quick a study as Lily was.

"That's what I'm doing," He whined, frustrated, "It just won't work!"

"No, you're not. Watch me again carefully now, a nice, wide sweep and then point." I demonstrated once more.

He still wasn't getting it. Oh, Merlin, I'm actually going to have to go over there and physically move his arm for him to show him how to do it properly. I really hope he doesn't force me to do that. Just because he's one of my best mates does not mean that I want to be close enough to feel his rump.

But in all his sweeping and pointing, something large suddenly fell out of a tree about twenty meters away. We looked at each other oddly as we heard it thud to the ground, then I raced off to investigate.

I don't know what I was expecting, but I had certainly hoped for something better than this.

"PETER! Go run up to Madame Pomfrey and have her come down to the grounds, NOW!"

He gave me a startled look but immediately did what he was told, and soon he was huffing as he reached the castle steps. I wish it had been Sirius out here with me right now. Even Remus would have been faster at getting up to the hospital wing. Actually, I can still tell them to race up there too, I should have thought of that already. I pulled out my wand and sent my patronus off to find them, then turned back to the person on the ground in front of me.

I had no idea what I could do to help. Mum was a healer, so she had taught me to fix up a couple scrapes and I had learned more once we started going out with Remus, but it didn't help now. My biggest problem was that I knew enough to know that I couldn't do anything without risking that I hurt this person even more.

I couldn't risk healing any of the minor cuts because I don't know how to disinfect them from the fall. I can't clot this much bleeding without congealing all the blood, potentially stopping the heart. Whoever this is may be losing a lot of blood now, but at least he or she still has a pulse.

Merlin! I can't even tell if this is a girl or a bloke. Whoever did this engorged the person as well, so that the blood looks even messier and more gruesome. The attacker was going for the kill.

And, of course, the shock of the gore for whoever found this poor person first.

Where is Madame Pomfrey? She should be here by now. Take a bloody _broom_ for Merlin's sake, but get down here as quickly as possible. Didn't Peter make it clear that this was life or death here?

I carefully attempted to clean some of the shallow-looking wounds with water from my wand, but I was scared to accidentally wash any possible germs from the dirt into the gaping cuts, so I quickly gave up on the idea. I cast a bubble charm instead, hoping that it would form a small net of safety.

Finally I heard footsteps, and the sound of a woman's voice shouting, "Potter? What's happened?"

I stood and turned, unnecessarily waving my arms to get her attention.

"We don't know what happened, someone's bleeding to death, RUN FASTER!"

She heard the desperation in my voice and tried to speed up. Sirius, who was coming up from behind with Remus, picked her up and ran her the rest of the distance. When he finally set her down next to me she harrumphed slightly before she caught sight of the body in front of her.

Her mouth fell open in shock.

"Oh, Merlin, help us," she muttered as she gaped for a split second before instinctively muttering diagnostic spells.

Whoever this is, he or she has been losing blood by the second and Madame Pomfrey is not helping as quickly as I would like. I know better than to interrupt though.

Apparently Peter does not.

"What's happened?" He asked, bouncing around Sirius and Remus in an attempt to get a closer look at the bleeding body. "Who is it? Are they dead yet? What are all those gashes fro---"

Madame Pomfrey hit him with a silencing charm.

Honestly, he deserved it. Everyone should know not to disturb a trained professional healer while they are working.

After five nail-biting minutes, she had finally managed to control the bleeding and close most of the major cuts. Only then did she spare the energy to speak to us.

"Potter, go immediately to Dumbledore and drag him out here if you have to. The victim fell from this tree?"

"Yes, professor," I answered quickly before I started off.

"Black, climb it. I want to know what's up there." Then, very darkly, "There may very well be more bodies."

Sirius immediately scrambled into the tree as I turned to sprint away.

When I finally reached the headmaster's gargoyle, I panted, "Student seriously injured on the grounds, I need Dumbledore."

"Fine, go in," it answered, bored as always.

I sprinted up the steps, which wasn't the best idea since I got dizzy about three-quarters of the way to the top. I was nearly retching by the time I burst through his door.

"PROFESSOR! Dangerously injured, come as quick as you can!"

The old man got up with surprising speed and had soon outstripped me on the stairs. We reached the scene quickly and Dumbledore was surveying it with lightning in his clear blue eyes.

Only my panting broke the eerie silence across the grounds. Then Madam Pomfrey spoke.

"He is alive, Albus."

"Who is it?"

"Zachary Abbott," she answered gravely. We all knew where that led.

Abbott was a muggle-born. This was potentially Slytherin work.

I looked away from Dumbledore's face, unable to stand seeing the anger that clouded his eyes and dominated his presence. It was utterly terrifying. Given the choice between looking at Abbott's mangled body or Dumbledore's fury, I chose Abbott.

She had cleaned him up, at least, and they had conjured a stretcher for him. Dumbledore had just asked Madame Pomfrey to take him to the hospital wing when I noticed something dangling out of the tree.

A Cleansweep tail-twig fell to the ground.

xxxxxxx

I sat on the couch, staring at him.

He hadn't eaten in days now. He just kept staring at the twig in his hands.

Dumbledore seemed to think that this clue was not particularly helpful. After all, the school brooms were Cleansweeps and so it was incredibly difficult to pinpoint which it may have belonged to, meaning it would be useless to try to find the culprit that way.

James seemed to disagree. I couldn't really be sure if he was cogniscent enough to disagree, food-deprived as he was, but he did seem to disagree.

I got up and sat next to him. "James?"

He continued staring at his twig.

"James, will you eat something? I've brought you steak-and-kidney pie, and some potatoes from the kitchens. The house-elves said that was your favorite."

No response.

"Please eat?"

Still nothing.

I sighed and picked up his plate myself. "Come on, now, open up."

He did as he was told, and I fed him his meal that way. I was just about to leave the dorm when he spoke up.

"It's a Cleansweep 5."

I turned to look at him.

"The school Cleansweeps are only 2. This is a Cleansweep 5. We can track the owner."

His voice was maniacal in its emptiness. He spoke as though he was a shell.

"It's a Cleansweep 5," he repeated. The he got up and walked across to our door. "Come with me."

xxxxxxx

I didn't know why we were on the quidditch pitch, but we were. James was scanning the empty sky above the goal-posts in a strange sort of daze. He pointed at one of the posts.

"There," He said, "That was it."

I looked up in that direction, but I had no idea what was going through his head. This was just an empty pitch.

"James?"

He turned to look at me, seeming to remember reality as he did so. "That's where I saw the Cleansweep 5. It belonged to Anna Prynne."

Anna Prynne? I didn't recognize the name.

"Hufflepuff seeker," he clarified, looking at my blank expression.

"Hufflepuff?" That didn't make any sense. "You don't really think she would attack a house-mate, do you?"

James was shaking his head. "The Hufflepuffs always keep their brooms in the changing rooms instead of their dorms. Anyone could have walked in and taken it." After a long, miserable pause he said quietly, "Dumbledore was right. This clue tells us nothing."

"James, no, no it wasn't useless," I said, a bit desperate to make him less depressed. "We know something more now, don't we? How many people even go into the changing rooms? I thought they were locked by password?"

"Yeah, they are, but that only means that someone would have to know a quidditch player who was willing to tell, and honestly, Lily, that could be just about anyone at Hogwarts."

I looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes. He just looked so _sad_. I think he really thought that this one clue would tell him who it was.

"We can still go to Dumbledore, tell him---"

"Tell him what?" James laughed humorlessly, "Tell him that we went around the long way and found out that he was right to begin with? That we have nothing definitive to tell him other than the real owner of the broomstick, not the person who stole it to…to…"

He broke down then. I actually saw wetness in his eyes when he looked back up at me.

"Lily, this was most likely done by one of those maniacal Slytherins whose only goal is to follow a mass-murderer. And they did it to a muggle-born."

"What are you trying to say to me, James? I've always been in danger here, I can handle it."

He shook his head. "You stay with me, Lily, you have to. They'll want you; I'm surprised they didn't do it to you first."

He was right, I knew that. They would have gone after me if they could have, knowing that they would kill a muggle-born and get back at a blood-traitor with the move. But I've never run and hidden from them before. I've always been able to hold my own, against three and four sometimes.

But that look in his eyes, I think he might go insane if I refuse his request right now. So I just nodded, and took his hand to lead him back inside.

"Come on," I said gently, "we should go talk to Dumbledore."

xxxxxxx

"As Head Boy and Girl, I feel that we are entitled to know what has been happening in this investigation," I said, poorly concealing my anger.

"Mr. Potter, you are most certainly entitled to understand what is going on; however, there is not much that I understand myself. Until Mr. Abbott is recovered enough to think clearly, I cannot ask him any questions about his attacker," Dumbledore said, his normal calmness clouded by the darkness in his eyes. He was just as outraged and worried about this as I was, I could tell.

I tried again. "But Professor, there must be _something_---"

"Mr. Potter, I understand your concern," Dumbledore said, his eyes sliding to Lily, "But we don't have any new information. When Mr. Abbott is capable of naming his attacker, we will have another meeting."

I could tell from his tone that he wanted me to leave now. Frustrated and exhausted, I turned to Lily and she got up to leave with me.

We walked to our dorm in silence. When we finally stepped inside she pulled me over to one of the couches and made me sit. She perched next to me.

"James," she started softly, "I need you to try to be more reasonable. There is nothing you can do right now," She raised a finger to my lips when I started to protest. Strange, even with all this anger coursing through me, my pulse can still jump at her touch. "When we find out who did this, I will help you curse them into oblivion, but for right now, you have to try to handle the stress more reasonably."

I shook my head. "I was there, Lily. I was right there and I wouldn't have been able to help if not by chance. What if it's you next time? What if I don't find you?"

"I can handle a few Slytherins, James, they're no match for me."

I knew this was true, but I didn't want to depend on it. I wanted to know that I was there to protect her, and I wanted to know that the person who did this was expelled from Hogwarts. I couldn't let the matter rest until this place was safe for Lily again.

"They're no match for me either, Lily. As long as we stay together, they won't dare try to touch you."

"Who, the Slytherins?" She snorted, "They wouldn't actually _touch_ me with a ten-foot pole. They don't want to dirty their blood. They'll just throw spells like cowards from behind some suits of armor."

"You stay with me, Lily, I'm serious."

She considered me for a moment. "I'll make you a deal. I will stay with you if you eat and sleep and do your homework like a normal person, rather than obsessing over this."

I just looked at her. How was I supposed to stop _obsessing_, as she put it, before I found out who the attacker was?

"Abbott will wake up soon enough and tell us," she prodded as though reading my thoughts.

So I nodded grudgingly. "Fine. But you do _not_ leave my side."

xxxxxx

Days went by.

Zacharay Abbott was still unconscious in the hospital wing.

This was not a good sign.

Even though this was a dark curse, he should have been recovered to consciousness by now. But he just laid there in a magical coma for days.

James was getting antsy. I could tell. He was itching to get a name out of Abbott so that he could stalk the person until he got a chance to curse them from here to Timbuktu.

I was painfully aware that I was the cause of this violent desire.

He had made it quite clear that he thought they would have preferred me as a target, and honestly, I have to agree. But that doesn't mean that he has to watch over me like a hawk. He doesn't leave my side until I kick him out of my dorm and tell him that I had better not catch him sleeping outside my door.

Once, I finally did catch him sleeping outside my door and realized that it was no use, I should never have made that deal with him. So I woke him and let him sleep in my bed.

This became a permanent arrangement for the next two weeks.

And Abbott was still in the hospital wing by the end of them.

He had finally regained consciousness by this point, although he was still slightly slurred in his speech.

And when Dumbledore decided that it was time to talk to him Abbott revealed that he had no memory of what had happened. He had been hit by a memory-modification charm.

This news nearly sent James over the edge.

I was worried, truly worried by this point, and was forced to bring him with me to Dumbledore.

"He's gone insane, Professor," I said matter-of-factly.

"I have not!" James said hotly, "I'm just trying to be safe here!"

"James, I can handle myself! But that's not the point. The point is that we have to find the attacker, Professor Dumbledore, before James curses the entire Slytherin house."

Dumbledore was very grave. The usual twinkle in his eyes was gone, replaced by storm clouds. "Miss Evans, I do agree; however, we have yet to find another clue to the attacker than the twig that Mr. Potter found. This leads me to believe that this was not done by Hogwarts students, or, at the very least, not organized by them."

I gasped at this, and I felt James stiffen even more by my side.

"What are you talking about, Professor?" He started again, the agitation growing in his voice, "That _Death Eaters_ were able to penetrate Hogwarts grounds? How is that possible?"

Dumbledore just looked at the two of us. "I am afraid, that I can no longer allow students to do rounds at night. It is far too dangerous a task."

"What?"

"What! No, Professor, James and I still want to. The other prefects don't have to, they can stay in their beds, but we can handle this."

"Miss Evans, I'm afraid your courage outstrips your ability to protect yourself. I cannot allow you to do rounds any longer. This will be a faculty job." He sighed deeply, then said, "You may go back to your dorms now."

I went back seething, and I could tell that James felt the same way I did. We sat together on the couch stewing in our anger for hours. I didn't realize that we had missed lunch _and_ dinner until my stomach started to act up.

I went over to our kitchenette and started banging around, trying to find something. Usually, whatever you wanted would just appear in the cupboards. Not tonight. Tonight, everything seemed to be against giving me what I wanted.

"Are you hungry?" James asked, a surprising softness to his voice.

I nodded, too exhausted by my anger to make any sort of retort.

"Come here," he said, pulling something out of his pocket. It was some sort of long, silvery material. I wasn't entirely sure how it had all fit in his pocket, actually, but I was not in the mood to ask. I just went over to him to see what he would do with it.

He threw the cloth over the pair of us and then led me out the door.

"James," I hissed, "What are we---"  
"Shh! They'll hear you if you don't quiet down."

Two people walked by without even glancing at us. And then it occurred to me.

"Are we invisible?"

"Yes. Now come on, let's get you something to eat."

All I had an appetite for were breads and pastas so that I could soothe my stomach, but James somehow managed to eat everything that the house-elves offered us without batting an eye.

On our way back, I realized that the castle has a mind of its own, and that maybe everything wasn't set against me today. Because it was on our way back to the dorm that I saw them. About ten students were out on the grounds, thrown into sharp relief by the moonlight.

And then I looked closer in horror.

There were jets of light flying from wands, all toward a single shape in the center.

I think it's a person.

xxxxxxx

I hope you liked it, especially since I don't know when I'll have time to write another chapter, sorry everyone :S


	13. Redhead Fury

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 13 here. I don't really know what to say about it. You'll just have to read it and decide what you think. It took less time than expected because I wasted time on it instead of doing my real homework. But you know how I am, once I write a new chapter I just have to share it right away.

**Disclaimer: These are still not my characters**

I hope you enjoy!

xxxxxxx

"Lily, go get Dumbledore."

"I'm not letting you down there by yourself, James, don't be ridiculous."

Yeah, like I'd let her come with me. For such a smart girl she can be incredibly daft sometimes.

"They won't be able to see me, Lily, invisible, remember? Just go get Dumbledore and meet me down there." I hoped that Dumbledore would make her stay behind.

She glared, but she didn't follow me down the front steps.

I went off into the night looking for them. We had been on our way through the charms corridor, so they should be around the west side of the castle. Merlin, it could take me another ten minutes to get that far around. What could they do in that time?

No telling, I suppose. It only takes a second to cast a spell.

Getting there faster by turning into a stag won't help. I wouldn't be able to keep the invisibility cloak on and I'd loose the ability to actually use my wand. I won't be any help to this person as an animal.

When I finally rounded the corner that brought them into view, I snuck behind a tree, then thought better of it. There would be more confusion if the spells appeared to be coming from thin air.

"Protego," I muttered at the shape in the middle. Immediately a violet curse deflected and hit someone else in the face.

This did not immediately get their attention, as they were all busily casting their own curses. When they had to dodge a few, they realized that something had gone wrong. I had missed my chance. I should have thrown in a few curses while they were oblivious.

"What's happened?" came the voice of Crabbe.

"Someone's here, dimwit, shut up so that we can find them." Possibly the most unattractive female voice in all of Britain. The voice of Bellatrix Black.

"And how to do you propose we do that, Bella? It's pitch black and this person is obviously invisible." Severus Snape. Unfortunately, that voice is burned into my brain.

"Don't use my name, _Severus_. It's dark enough that they can't see our faces."

"Ever so sorry, _Bella_, I'll be sure not to say your name again, _Bella_, we want to be sure that no one knows you're out here, _Bella_."

You know, even if he is a pain in the ass, at least he's an equal opportunity pain in the ass.

I wasn't sure what to do right then. With the body protected and myself hidden, all I really had to do was wait for Dumbledore to come out. It took a few minutes. Surprisingly, these idiots didn't know enough to get out of here before they were caught.

Or so I thought.

I found out their reasoning when Dumbledore finally did appear with Lily at his side. Unfortunately, he brought with him a burst of light, which illuminated his and Lily's presence. Another normally brilliant individual who had made and astoundingly idiotic decision. At least Lily isn't the only one who does that.

All the bloody maniacs around the body turned and looked at the disturbance that Dumbledore caused.

"MUDBLOOD!" Bellatrix screamed. While all the others trained their wands on Dumbledore, she had hers pointed straight at Lily.

I dove in front of the jet of red meant for Lily and felt it as it seemed to split my shoulder in two. Just as I hit the ground I heard heavy footsteps and turned my head, expecting to see them rushing at us with wands at the ready. Instead I saw them scattering.

I couldn't even see most of them anymore.

"James!" Lily was screaming, "James! Where are you?"

She was fumbling around in the darkness, trying to find me under my cloak. I couldn't move my upper body, but I managed to kick the cloak off of my leg so that she could see me.

She gasped when she spotted it, then shrieked in horror, "James?" She started clawing at my leg and managed to uncover the rest of me, but her face relaxed only slightly. "Oh, James, I told you not to come out here alone!"

"What was I supposed to do," I grunted, "Leave that other poor wretch out here? Abbott still can't talk right after what that lot did to him."

She had conjured a stretcher and was levitating me onto it when I noticed that Dumbledore was examining the other body.

Not frantically muttering spells.

Just examining.

My heart dropped to replace my stomach. This couldn't have happened, not here. Hogwarts was a _safe_ place.

xxxxxx

I tossed and turned all night.

I didn't try to deny the reason. It was a pointless effort.

This was the first night in more than two weeks that I was alone in my bed. I had gotten used to having James's arms wrapped around me. Of course I would never admit it to _him_…but it was quite nice to wake up that way.

He was still in the hospital wing. I wanted to stay, but Madame Pomfrey wouldn't have it. She kicked me out at midnight, saying it was inappropriate to have students in the infirmary when they should be in their own beds. I was about to argue when James told me to come back here and get some sleep.

And I tried, I really did, but it didn't work and I was back in the hospital wing the moment I saw daylight outside my window.

He was sleeping quite peacefully. After Dumbledore had assured him that the other student was still alive, he had been able to shut his eyes.

I just sat, looking at him.

He had actually thrown himself in the way. I saw the cloak slip for that moment. I couldn't believe it.

But really, I could.

I stared into his face and saw the goodness there. He really was a wonderful person.

I realized that I was stroking his hair. I'm not sure when I started, but I couldn't stop now. I hadn't realized how much I wanted to touch him. This boy who would throw himself into harm's way for _me_.

It was wonderful too. The feel of his hair…it was soft and silky and thick. I laughed quietly at myself. If I don't want to take my hands off it I suppose I can't blame him anymore.

He stirred gently and opened his eyes. Then he smiled at me.

"Morning," he murmured.

I gave him a small smile. "You scared me."

"Sorry, Lily," he said, closing his eyes again, "The alternative was _you_ being in this bed, and I couldn't let that happen."

I'd love to say that I don't know what possessed me, but I know perfectly well what it was. But it doesn't matter why I did it. The point is, I leaned down and kissed his cheek very softly.

But that wasn't enough.

So I kissed his other cheek.

That wasn't enough either.

I took his face into my hands and kissed it all over.

And then I kissed his lips, and let myself pour all my gratitude into him.

He didn't open his eyes when I lifted my head, instead he tried to hold me there with his hurt arm and moaned at the pain.

"Sorry," I murmured softly. I think he knew I only meant his arm.

"Don't be," he said, slowly opening his eyes. "I'd take the trade any day."

I blushed.

But at that moment Madame Pomfrey bustled in.

"Didn't I send you back to your dormitory, Miss Evans?"

"It's morning, now, Madame Pomfrey. I came to see how he was doing."

She looked me over for a moment, then decided to ignore my presence. Bustling over to James, she began checking his bandaged shoulder and clucking her displeasure that he was still wincing slightly at her touch.

She changed the bandage and then went to check on the other student who was much more severely injured. They hadn't yet figured out who this was.

According to Dumbledore, the mix of curses had actually counter-acted each other slightly, and it was this anomaly that saved the student's life. Strange, really, that this person was saved by being hit with _too many_ curses.

James was staring at me.

"You need some breakfast, Lily."

"I'm fine."

"I'll be here when you get back. Go get something to soothe your stomach."

"No."

"I threw myself into a curse for you. You owe me a favor."

"This would be doing myself a favor, James, not you."

"It's my favor. I get to decide what it is."

"Ok, fine," I sighed. Why did he always have to be so…James? "I'll be back soon."

He smiled. "I'll be here."

I wandered down to the Great Hall and found the boys already at breakfast. It always struck me that being such early risers was an odd quirk in their character. No one would expect it of them.

Sirius saw me and waved me over.

"Miss Lily! How are you this morning?" His face fell slightly when he registered my expression. "What happened?"

"After breakfast, I want you all to come up to the hospital wing with me," I started. They sat open-mouthed through the whole story and remained speechless when I finished. Remus spoke first.

"Who was it this time?"

"We don't know yet."

Sirius grimaced. "They're making that their trademark, aren't they."

We sat in silence after that remark. No one could eat much besides a bit of dry toast. After everyone gave up on breakfast, we traipsed back up to the hospital wing.

"You brought the whole crew!" James grinned as we walked in.

Sirius looked him over and cracked a smile. "You look a right mess, Prongs."

"Aw, it's not so bad. Do you think the rumors will get the right place for the bandage?" James joked back.

"Maybe if you're lucky," Sirius grinned and nudged Peter in the ribs. "Wormtail here will probably spread the wrong rumor on purpose."

I settled into one of the chairs and listened to their banter for the rest of the morning.

xxxxxxxx

"Unfortunately, Mr. Potter, I cannot expel any student with only one witness to their crime. Even if that witness is myself, I'm afraid."

"But Professor Dumbledore, You, me, and Lily were all there. Surely we all saw two or three of the same people? I _know_ that we all saw Bellatrix Black," I argued. There is absolutely no way that I'm going to just let them get off on this.

"I can suspend some students, and have done so. Bellatrix Black is among them."

I wanted to shake him for his grave calmness. I wanted _anger_ from him, uncontrolled, hot-headed _anger_, and he refused to indulge in it.

And now he tells me that he has only _suspended_ Bellatrix?

Really?

The only student that we can be certain to expel according to all the ridiculous rules, and he has only _suspended_ her?

"Professor—"

He cut me off, knowing what my argument would be. "Miss Black has been allowed to stay at Hogwarts for the time being because she was helpful enough to inform me who masterminded these attacks."

I stared in shock.

"She gave you names?"

"Of a few previously unknown Death Eaters."

I tried to let this knowledge sink in.

I knew Bellatrix was all bad, essentially evil somehow, but I had always imagined her to have a firm loyalty to that core. I had never expected this of her.

"She gave you names," I repeated, trying to will myself to believe it.

"Yes."

I shook my head. "I can't let her anywhere near the muggle-borns of this school, Professor. You saw her. She attacked Lily right in front of _you_, as though she thought she would somehow get away with it."

"Well, Mr. Potter, it appears that she has," Dumbledore said, too lightly for my liking. He paused for a moment and then considered me as I was sitting up in my hospital bed, agitated beyond imagining that Madam Pomfrey had confined me here for another day. "Rules and regulations bind my hands…but I do believe that the Marauders are rather good at leaving no evidence…"

With that he turned and walked out of the hospital wing.

What?

Did he just give me permission?

Lily and the boys rushed in, having been told to wait outside until Dumbledore left.

"What happened?"

"What did he want?"  
"Did they find out anything new?"

"Er," I said, trying to decide whether or not to attempt answering their jumble of questions, "He just…well, he just…gave me permission to hunt down those dogs and give them hell."

Sirius grinned. "Excellent."

The other three were nodding their agreement.

"Don't get too excited Padfoot," I said, catching his slightly sadistic mood, "We're not allowed to sign our work."

Lily looked at me funny. So I explained, "He complimented us on our talent for leaving no evidence, whenever the desire strikes us."

Sirius's mood hadn't dampened one bit. "Oh, don't worry, Prongs, this will be satisfying enough without stamping our names on it. Those damn bitches had it coming for years now."

"I can't believe that he actually gave us _permission_," Remus said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Peter started bouncing around saying, "We get to curse the Slytherins! We get to curse the Slytherins! We get to cur---"

Lily clamped a hand over his mouth and hissed, "Madam Pomfrey will hear!"

Oh, Peter, that boy never knows what he's doing. He just needs someone to look after him all the time, that's all. Between the three of us, we can usually manage it.

"Alright," Sirius said, turning to me and losing his grin, "where should we start?"

xxxxxxxx

I was in a broom cupboard with James Potter.

Something that I had actually imagined quite a bit lately, since my recent bout of…insanity.

At least that's what I keep telling myself it was.

Because if I actually _wanted_ to kiss James Potter…well, that would be catastrophic.

I think.

But there we were, squashed into a broom cupboard, and I couldn't deny the fact that I was aware of every minute detail of his presence. His scent was a mixture of soap and fresh sweat, his lips were full, and his big, hazel eyes had just met mine.

"Lily," he started then stopped, seeming to have difficulty with the words.

A moment later he tried again. "You want to pretend it never happened."

It wasn't a question.

He didn't bother asking.

He thought he knew.

I thought _I_ knew, for Merlin's sake, but now I'm not so sure.

I nodded anyway.

He nodded back, his face sad. "Okay, I can let you forget it," he said, the sadness seeping into his voice, "but, Lily, _I'm_ never going to forget it. I promise."

I didn't have any answer to that.

Well, actually, I did have an answer, but it would have consisted of a different usage of my lips than forming words. And I couldn't do that again.

Could I?

Oh, where was that signal from Peter and Sirius? They shouldn't have left us alone in here so long, the Slytherins should have been heading this way by now. Merlin, why did I even agree to pair up with James in the first place? I knew that this would involve a broom cupboard when we drew up the plan. And I knew that it could potentially be…distracting. But I had agreed to it anyway. I hadn't been able to resist the allure of the idea.

Being alone with James became more and more alluring every time I turned around, it seemed.

I closed my eyes, unable to take the desperation on his face any longer. Because it wasn't just desperation, it was pain, too. I was hurting him.

Oh what was the point in denying it?

I was just about to lean up toward him when Sirius's voice sounded from James's pocket.

"They took the bait and they're headed your way, Prongs."

James pulled his strange mirror out of his pocket. "Alright, Padfoot, we're ready for them."

He opened the cupboard door and we peeked around the corner. Everything was set and I had already charmed it into invisibility. One flick of my wand and I could bring it down on them at the exact moment.

We waited---I was barely breathing---for them to round the corner. And when they were finally passing right under the buckets of burning powder James and I both flicked our wands to shower them in it.

There were five of them. They jumped at first, not knowing why they were suddenly covered in green powder. But then they forgot the why's and concentrated on the fact that they were feeling the fire on their skin.

It wouldn't actually hurt them, unfortunately, but it would make them feel as though they were burning for the next twenty-four hours. Remus had swiped all of the antidote from the hospital wing so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't give them any relief.

Cruel?

Yes.

But they did worse.

And I intend to match them sometime soon.

xxxxxxxx

I hope you liked it, especially since this time I can't procrastinate any more, so homework will have to come before updating. The next chapter won't be up for at least another week, sorry everyone.


	14. Herbology Comes in Handy

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 14 here. Sorry about the delay, but I think I'll have more breathing room this week. Anyways, here's chapter 14, it's about a page longer. I could say that it's in reward for your patience, but really it's just because the chapter could have stopped at two different points but I decided to give you eight pages rather than five. I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters, but in this chapter Adriana Leechy is one of those random names that I come up with. I think I can claim her as mine, so…yeah.**

xxxxxxxx

I was lying awake in my bed.

I did not want to be here.

Well, it's not that I wasn't tired, it was just that I would much rather be in Lily's bed right now. She had let me sleep in her bed when she realized that I would just sleep on the floor otherwise, but…there was just something about sleeping in her bed. It just felt right.

It felt right to know that I was right there with her, just in case. And it felt right to fall asleep with her next to me, and it felt right to wake up with her in my arms.

I know it's cliché, but I don't really care.

I _belong _there, with her. But no amount of wishing is going to put me back there anymore.

At least that's what I thought.

But a moment later, there was a timid knock on the door, followed by a soft, "James?"

I hurried to the door and pulled a shirt on. I pulled it open just as she was about to knock again. Her hand froze in mid-air.

"Hi," she said, seeming surprised.

"Hi," I answered, a little worried. "Is something wrong?"

She blushed. "No, well, yes, but…it's just…I'm so sorry, this is going to sound silly, but…can I sleep with you?"

I stared at her in shock. _Really_? Yes! Absolutely yes!

She looked down and blushed, starting to turn away. "Forget I asked, it was silly---"

"No," I assured her, grabbing her arm to keep her, "Of course you can, Lily, come here."

I took her hand and led her to my bed. She was blushing furiously. I had to smile at that, it's always funny when her skin matches her hair.

"If you don't want me here, James, don't worry, I can just—"

"Lily? Do you really think I don't want you here? Because I could do several things that you wouldn't approve of to prove that I really do want you to stay."

Somehow, she managed to blush even deeper, but she didn't say anything, so I pulled her into bed. I wrapped the covers around us and sighed deeply. _This_ is how I was always meant to sleep.

"James?" she said softly.

"Hmmm?"

"Could you…hold me?"

I smiled and wrapped my arms around her. "Of course, Lily," I murmured as I started to stroke her hair. "Relax and sleep, sweetheart."

She must have fallen asleep quickly, or else been dead-tired, because she didn't slap me for calling her sweetheart. Then again, she did just ask to sleep with me, so maybe things are going to change soon.

I certainly hope so.

xxxxxxxx

I woke to the sound of something thudding to the ground.

Oh no, where's Lily?

I jumped out of bed and raced out my door to find that the thudding had been Sirius. I breathed a sigh of relief for a split second, this was definitely not as terrible as what I had been imagining. But then I realized that Sirius was passed out and I ran over to check on him.

"Sirius? Sirius!"

I was just about to slap him a bit when he groaned and rolled over.

"Sorry," Lily said from behind me, "I think that was my fault."

I turned to look at her. "How was this _your_ fault? What happened?"

She blushed, then started in a rush, "Well, I guess he must have been coming to get you and I was coming out of your room and when he saw me he just sort of got all bug-eyed and fell over."

I laughed. "Oh."

I would have some explaining to do later.

Sirius was blinking and groaning a bit. "Prongs, you git, how could you not tell me? I mean, I get you not telling Remus and Peter but how could you not tell _me_?"

"Sorry mate, didn't know how you would take it." That has to be the lamest excuse. He just groaned again and I helped him up. "What were you here so early for, anyway, Padfoot?"

He rubbed his head as he answered, "McGonagall caught me at breakfast and told me to come get you. She wants to talk to the pair of you about something or other."

"When?"

"Right now, I think. Just go on over to her office. Erm…unless I was interrupting something…I can always tell her that I didn't find you…"

Rarely have I seen Sirius at a loss for words. What he walked in on isn't as interesting as he thinks it is right now, but still, it's pretty damn interesting.

"Don't worry, Padfoot, we'll just go put our school robes on," I told him, turning to Lily. She was already racing over to her room.

We were out the door in a few minutes, and Lily led the way, giving Sirius and me some time to talk.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded in a whisper.

"Seriously, Padfoot, it's not as interesting as you think it was."

"She was in your _bed_, Prongs, are you really going to tell me that's not interesting? I've listened to you pine over this girl for years and you don't even tell me when you start _shagging_?"

"We weren't shagging, we were just sleeping."

Sirius just gave me a look.

"No, really, Padfoot, that's all."

"Yeah, sure mate. So how exactly did this start anyway?"

"Oh, look at that, we're at McGonagall's door."

"You're telling me later, you prat," Sirius hissed at me as I walked in with Lily. He turned to go but then McGonagall called him back.

"Oh, Mr. Black? Won't you come in as well? I'm sure you will also be interested."

Sirius just turned to me and hissed again, "Even _McGonagall_ tells me when she thinks I might be interested."

I guess I understand where he's coming from, but really, I just haven't had the chance to tell him yet. I've been so busy watching Lily that I've barely even seen Sirius and the other two for the past couple of weeks.

"We have identified the student," McGonagall started once we all sat down. "Adriana Leechy, another muggle-born."

I tensed and shot a glance at Lily. I didn't like her chances. In fact, I was fairly certain that the only reason she hadn't been attacked was because I never left her alone. The Death Eaters aren't actually attacking themselves, they're leaving the Slytherins to do it. And the Slytherins know that they're no match for Lily and me as a team.

McGonagall went on for a bit about how Leechy was healing slowly but surely in the hospital wing. Those Slythern scum. They're blokes, all of them, except for Bellatrix Black.

And they attacked a girl.

I mean, I know they would attack Lily if they got the chance but still, I expected them to have some sense of decency.

I suppose I should have known better.

It's odd though, Lily isn't fighting me on this like I expected her to. I thought she would have decided by now that I was being ridiculous and not let me protect her anymore. Maybe she realizes the danger she's in.

I laughed to myself. That would be the first time she admitted to something like that.

McGonagall caught my eye. She was leaning over her desk and whispering conspiratorially, "As far as I understand it, Professor Sprout has some extra Devil's Snare that she has no use for. I'm sure if some of it disappeared and was put to _good use_, you three would have nothing to do with it." Then she sat back against her chair. "That is all. You may go."

xxxxxxxx

The five of us sat in the Gryffindor common room with our heads bowed together over a table. Sirius was throwing me dirty looks because I still hadn't gotten around to telling him the whole story. I might just take a break and go tell him in the dorms in a few more minutes.

"What could we possibly use Devil's Snare for?" Remus was asking. "She didn't give you any ideas?"

"Well, it likes to constrict on any surface that it's given to grow on," Lily said, her brows knitted together in concentration.

"Let's strangle them with it!" Peter jumped.

"Absolutely not," Sirius said. He glanced at me again but this time he looked guilty. I knew why. "I refuse to be like them."

"Well then what could we do with it?" Remus asked again. "It just seems so useless if we're _not _going to, you know, strangle them with it."

I had to agree. McGonagall really should have given us some idea of what she wanted us to do. "Well, obviously she thinks that there's something we can do with it, and she would never want us to actually kill other students, that would make us just as bad---"

"I've got it!" Lily cut me off.

Just then, little Alice Prewett marched over to us.

"I want in."

"Alice, we're not—" Sirius tried to say.

"I want in."

After a moment, Lily nodded. "You're in."

xxxxxxx

With our height, only two of us would still fit under my cloak.

I chose me and Lily.

Lily did disillusionment charms on everyone else. I have to say, charming things into invisibility is a handy trick. I'm definitely going to have to practice that one until I get it right.

We snuck into the dungeons quietly. The only way I knew everyone was there was by counting the boxes of Devil's Snare that were floating along the corridor. We came up on the Slytherin common room quickly.

"Toadspawn," Sirius whispered. Good to know that his spying earlier this afternoon had actually been useful.

We all slipped into the common room and tip-toed up the boy's staircase. It was silent as the grave at one in the morning. Really, where was the Slytherin's sense of fun?

I shuddered as I realized that they had considered Zachary Abbott and Adriana Leechy fun.

"Okay," Lily whispered, "Everyone have their rubber gloves on?"

There were murmured 'yes's' among the disillusioned crowd.

"How are rubber gloves going to help?" Remus asked.

"Rubber is the only thing that the Devil's Snare won't react to," Lily answered, "It won't grow on it. Okay, now Sirius, Peter, and Remus you stay down here and do the sixth years. Alice, James and I will go up to the seventh years. Make sure you cover the door completely, don't forget."

The three of us continued up to the seventh years' dorm as quietly as we could and spread the Devil's Snare over their door. Then I engorged it to make sure that we didn't miss any spots, and Lily and Alice made sure that it was completely disillusioned. They would be trapped inside until someone figured out that there was an invisible plant growing over the door.

I sincerely hoped that it would take a while.

They wouldn't starve, Dumbledore would always magically send them food, but I wanted them trapped.

As long as they were trapped, they couldn't get out to hurt anyone else.

You know, for someone who has always been a goody-too-shoes, Lily is pretty good at thinking up these plots.

She's got a bit of a diabolical side, doesn't she.

We snuck back down the stairs and checked the work on the sixth years' door. Lily disillusioned it and then we went back to the head's common room.

Suddenly everyone was visible again. I tucked my cloak back into my pocket and examined Lily's sinister expression, then laughed to myself as I realized how much it suited her.

xxxxxx

"Potter, Black, stay after class," Professor Sprout said. I watched them look up guiltily. James stuffed something green into his robes.

I hung around outside the door of the greenhouse after everyone else left. Looking around to make sure no one saw me eavesdropping, I charmed my ear and listened in.

"—Devil's Snare was put to good use?" Sprout asked quietly. Merlin, speak up, woman! There's no one around!

Oh, right, I am eavesdropping aren't I.

"I haven't seen a male Slytherin in days, Professor," Sirius answered. I could hear his grin in his voice.

"Neither have I," James added, attempting a serious tone. I could hear the smile in his voice too.

"They're not _dead_, are they?" Sprout asked, some intrepidation in her voice.

"Would you really expect that of us, Professor?" The smile in James's voice was gone.

"No, no, of course not—I just had to check."

"They should be trapped for quite some time, provided no one realizes that there is disillusioned Devil's Snare growing across their doors," Sirius continued. The smile was gone from his voice as well. They were both testing Sprout, trying to see her limits on this.

"I'm sure it will take a few weeks, at least, for anyone to realize," Sprout said. I could almost hear the boys sigh in relief. "Just don't make your actions…public. You may go."

I didn't make any attempt to hide. They both saw me when they left the greenhouse.

"Lily, what are you still—" James started.

"What are you going to do with that snargaluff pod?" I asked, all business. I knew that they already had a plan up their sleeve.

"This," Sirius announced with a grim satisfaction, "is for my darling cousin, Bellatrix."

"Bellatrix won't be back for another two weeks, Sirius," I said, confused. "Are you going to pay her a house visit?"

Sirius just grinned. "Oh, how little you know, Miss Lily. As annoying as a snargaluff pod is at this stage," he said, gesturing to the greenhouse, "it can be put to more…shall we say, _effective uses_?"

I raised an eyebrow, my interest peaked.

"You're the best in Potions, Lily," Sirius continued, "so I need your help."

xxxxxxx

We set to work that evening, after dinner had been swept away from the tables in the Great Hall. We needed several things that were off-limits to students, but I can easily get Slughorn to give me those ingredients.

"So you two were planning on disguising this as a present from Regulus?" I asked. It didn't really make sense. "I mean, I understand if he was sending her a get-well present or something of that sort but in this case…"

"Actually," Sirius said, his eyes gleaming dangerously, "it's more of a get-ill present."

James had a grim smile. "We'll send it at the end of her suspension, that way she'll be forced to stay home for at least another month—"

"I know what the potion _does_, James, but don't you think it would be odd for Regulus to just send her a gift?"

"No," Sirius grimaced, "They actually like each other."

James looked at him sympathetically, then turned to me. "Trust us, it's a decent cover story."

"And when she talks to Regulus and finds out that he's not the one who sent it?"

"They still won't be able to figure out who did," James assured me. "We're very good at covering our tracks, Lily, you have to trust us."

"Really, Miss Lily," Sirius said, trying to erase my skeptical expression. "We've only been caught on about a handful of pranks all these years. We _meant_ for people to know that we pulled the rest."

I fixed them both with a serious expression. "I'll brew the potion, but you two make sure you don't leave any tracks. We can't keep getting rid of the Slytherins if they find out it's us."

"We know." They assured me simultaneously. Then James continued, "They won't trace anything back to us."

I nodded, then started to sort through the ingredients that we had ready. I'll flatter Slughorn for the rest tomorrow.

xxxxxxxx

James looked incredibly annoyed.

Well, it's not like he's never flirted with a teacher before.

And really, I'm not so much _flirting_ as I am being my normal, charming self.

Just because James doesn't usually get to see the charm doesn't mean it's not there.

Hmmm…maybe I should be more flirtatious—I mean _charming_—toward James.

You know, in the future.

"Lovely Lily," Slughorn was saying, I noticed James grimacing over his shoulder, "You are an inspiration to teach! Of course I would love to. I'm sure no one will object if I give the best Potions student at Hogwarts a few extra ingredients."

"Thanks you _so_ much, Professor, I really appreciate it. Did you get the crystallized pineapple I sent you last week?" I simpered. Ok, so maybe I was laying it on a bit thick, but I really needed those ingredients.

"Yes! Yes, of course I did! Thank you dear, they were delicious!"

"Wonderful, I'm so glad you enjoyed them."

It was funny, really. James was eyeing Slughorn with jealousy. Actual _jealousy_! It was just too ridiculous. Why would gorgeous James be jealous of Slughorn?

Did I just call him gorgeous _again_?

Oh well, I can't help myself anymore. Every time I see him now it's like I'm looking through his shirt to the perfect muscles underneath---

Nevermind.

I'll just be nicer to him from now on. If I can be charming to Slughorn I can certainly be charming to James.

Hopefully that will make him less jealous.

Not that there's any need for him to be jealous.

I mean…not that he has _me_, certainly not…just that someone like James shouldn't be jealous of someone like Slughorn.

Right…I think that's what I'm trying to say.

xxxxxxxxx

After I flattered Slughorn sufficiently, he gave me the extra ingredients and I went to find James and Sirius.

It wasn't hard. They were in our dorm with Remus, Peter, and Alice, all huddled around one of the tables. Well, actually, Peter was half-hidden in our ice-box, which I presume to mean that he attempted to start another diet at dinner and was now regretting it.

I don't know how many times I have to tell him that Mary MacDonald is not worth starving over, but I suppose it won't ever sink in anyway. Really I just feel bad for Mary. I mean, who would want to date Peter?

I'm so glad that my thing with James makes me off-limits to the others.

Umm…whatever that 'thing' is, exactly, I'm not sure…but it does have the benefit of not having to put up with romantic harassment from Peter Pettigrew.

"Good Lily, you're back," Alice started, all business in her expression, "Remus and I were thinking that it might be best to send the potion as something solid, a necklace or a ring or something like that—"

"But James and I think it's best to send it as an actual liquid," Sirius cut in. They had obviously been debating for a while. "Then it would actually be _inside_ her body, she wouldn't just take a piece of jewelry off and then be perfectly alright again—"

Alice cut him off this time, "But you can't just send her a potion, Sirius, why on earth would she even consider drinking a potion just because Regulus sent it to her---"

"I know my cousin, Alice. She'll down anything that comes in a firewhiskey bottle. She likes to pretend she's tough."

"He's really right, Alice," James tried to convince her, "Bellatrix really will drink anything that claims to be firewhiskey---"

"But we're sending it to her _house_, James," Remus jumped in, "Her parents won't actually let her have a bottle of firewhiskey, and think of the trouble it will cause to have it sent from Regulus. They might trace it back to us when he denies being involved—"

"And anyways, Bellatrix isn't as thick as I wish she was," Alice said with a grimace. "She's not going to drink anything that's sent to her house in a _firewhiskey_ bottle, she'll know that's not actually firewhiskey. If a Slytherin was going to send her firewhiskey they would send it in disguise so that her parents wouldn't take it from her—"

"Alright, so we send it in a different bottle and give her a note saying it's firewhiskey," Sirius suggested. "She's not thick enough to keep on a necklace either, not when she gets sick right after putting it on…"

It was at this point that I plopped down on the sofa nearest James and stared off in the general direction of the argumentative voices. It struck me that Sirius was discussing the best way to ensure that his cousin would be ill for weeks. I sincerely hope that my children will be on better terms with their cousins.

Although considering that James in an only child and my relationship with Petunia is horrible, that's not likely to happen.

Wait…what does James being an only child have to do with _my_ future children?

Oh Merlin, I'm hopeless, aren't I.

xxxxxxx

I hope you liked it!

And thank you to everyone who reviewed and added me to their favorites/alert lists! I've decided to say thank you at the end of the chapter because I think more people might actually read it that way. So…

THANK YOU! Especially to my reviewers! I love reading your reviews!


	15. Drinks All Around!

Hello Everyone!

This is Chapter 15. It's a bit of a jump, I'll admit, but this is what the little Lily character in my head did, so that's what I wrote. Anyways, tell me what you think about it.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and I only wish I owned James Potter. In real life of course. He's no use to me in a book.**

xxxxxxx

"So it's decided then?" I asked the whole table, "We're mixing it with firewhiskey and sending it?"

There was a round of nods.

"As long as what you said is true, Lily," Alice checked with me, "then sending it as firewhiskey would be the best way."

"It's true," I assured her as I found the passage in my book. "It says here that the alcohol will make the effects last longer, which would force her to stay out of Hogwarts for as long as we can manage."

"It's a shame it won't _intensify_ the effect," Sirius muttered murderously.

"A month, right?" Remus checked absent-mindedly.

"If I brew it perfectly, the potion itself should last about a month. The alcohol should make it last for at least another week besides."

There was murmured assent around the table. Then James cut in. He had been annoyingly quiet this whole time.

"So about this note," he began, "how should we word it? I get the feeling that they might have some sort of code-word for the firewhiskey. I mean, _we _do too."

"Good point," Sirius growled, his frown deepening by the second.

"Peter," Remus said suddenly, "You'll have to go spy on them."

Peter didn't look like he liked the idea.

"I don't really like the idea of sending Peter alone, Remus," James said with concern in his voice. "You know how the Slytherins like to play with anything that can scream and run away—"

"And besides," Sirius cut in, "They have a charm on their common room to keep the rats out. If he's able to get in, they'll know he must not be a normal rat."

We all turned to Sirius and looked at him questioningly.

"What?" He said guiltily, crossing his arms, "Mum told me about it before Hogwarts. She used to like me back then, you know. Well, at least she didn't hate me so much," he trailed off.

No one knew what to say to that.

We sat in awkward silence for a moment before Alice started in an obvious attempt to change the subject, "So, should we use a perfume bottle or a pumpkin juice flask?"

Everyone jumped to give an opinion.

"Perfume bott—"

"No, pumpkin juic—"

"No, perfume bottle—"

"No, really, pumpkin juice!"

I looked around at everyone and waited for them to calm down. When they finally did, I gave my reasoning.

"The perfume bottle would be best, I think. That way it looks like it's an actual gift from Regulus."

"Yes, but if it's in a pumpkin juice bottle then she'll know she's supposed to drink it, why would you want to drink something out of a perfume bottle?" Sirius said.

"Because, Sirius," I explained, "Why would someone send her pumpkin juice from Hogwarts? She can get plenty of pumpkin juice at home, it would be suspicious to her parents. A perfume bottle on the other hand—"

"I think she's right," James said to Sirius, who promptly grimaced at both of us. "And Bellatrix will drink it anyway, it's not like she'll have qualms just because her firewhiskey was hidden in a perfume bottle."

"So it's settled then?" Remus asked. "Mix the potion with firewhiskey and send it in a perfume bottle. Do either of you girls have any empty perfume bottles we can use?"

"I've got one that's almost empty," Alice volunteered, "We can use it when the time comes."

"Good," James said. Merlin his voice is sexy.

You know what, I'm even going to deny it this time.

He turned to me with those big, hazel eyes. "The potion's ready, right Lily?"

It took me a second to actually process what he said. It didn't take _that_ long though. There was no reason for the whole table to start sniggering. "Yes, it's ready. We can't mix in the firewhiskey until the last moment though, right before we send it."

"Alright then," Sirius said, throwing me a knowing look that I did _not_ appreciate. "The plans are set."

xxxxxxxx

History of Magic.

Also known as – Don't Even _Try_ To Pay Attention

I sighed. At least all the other Gryffindors are still in this class. Funny how the one class we're required to take all seven years is the most useless. And it is a bit annoying that James and his friends sit on the other side of the room.

It does give me a really good view of his face though, and he can't even tell that I'm looking, which is another plus.

I sighed again and tried to bring my attention back to my notes, but it just wasn't working. It was in this class that my mind was allowed to stray more than was safe.

He looked good, today, I had to admit. That deep burgundy sweater he wore was just the shade to set off his dark hair, and big eyes, and those perfect lips…

Oh, I remember how those lips tasted.

I sighed again. Now what?

Well, giving in for just one hour won't hurt. No harm can come from looking, right? And once class is over I'll just stop and let it go.

I don't know how long I stared before Sirius caught me. I expected him to nudge James right away and give me away, but he didn't. Instead he gave me that same annoying look, the knowing one, and turned away.

I should have known that wouldn't be the end of it.

He caught up to me after class and took my arm. "Miss Lily! Won't you come with me for a moment?"

I shrugged at Alice, knowing what he wanted. I went willingly. I wanted to talk about it too, and I didn't want to admit it to Alice. At least not yet.

"So?" I asked once we were alone in a classroom, "Out with it, Sirius, go on."

He just grinned at me.

I sighed, then turned to leave. Maybe I didn't really want to talk about this…

"You fancy James."

I stopped. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I knew he was right. And I hadn't realized how much I _needed_ to talk to someone about it, and if Sirius was the only one, well…

"And if I do?"

"Tell him."

"No."

"Why not?"

I didn't have an answer for this. At least not an easy one. There were so many reasons why I couldn't tell James that I fancied him. Not the least of which being that I wasn't really sure of his feelings anymore.

I mean, I know we sleep in the same bed and that might mean that he's still wants me, but he hasn't been doing any of the normal things, not for a long time. He doesn't ask me out, or hex people who touch me, or follow me around trying to give me presents.

I know I hated all those things, but at least that was a clue that he had feelings for me. Now I don't know if they're gone. I mean, I know he jumped into that curse for me, and I know how hard he's been trying to protect me, but that's just because he knows how much danger I'm in.

James would do the same for anyone else in my situation.

"Lily," Sirius said again, more seriously, "You have to tell him."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Should I say it?

Oh, why not, I do have a lot of respect for James now, and since he put himself on the line for me so many times before, I can do the same for him this once.

"Because he could hurt me," I whispered.

And it was true, now that I had admitted it to myself. I hated how true it was.

Sirius's face changed. Suddenly it was soft and understanding and he had just a hint of a smile.

"Trust me, Lily, he couldn't hurt you. Tell him."

I shook my head again.

"You have to."

"No."

"He's my best mate, and he wants _you_. Actually, scratch that, he _needs_ you. And since you fancy him—I'm not saying you have to love him, but you do fancy him—you have to tell him."

"I can't do it, Sirius."

He looked at me steadily. "Please, Lily."

Then he walked out of the room.

xxxxxxxxx

We decided to have dinner in our dorm so that we could talk about some Heads' business. It had been falling by the wayside because of all the Slytherin problems we had had lately.

It is funny though, that the year Lily and I are made the Heads is the year that I get her involved in our pranks. I'm not one for literature, but I do think that must be some form of irony.

I was banging around our kitchenette, trying to find the ingredients to make a wonderful dinner for Lily—preferably one that would make her fall in love with me—when she walked back into the room.

"Okay, so I've found two problems with our scheduling of the quidditch matches this year, oh, and by the way, you'll be playing Slytherin next week—"

"Next _week_!" I jumped and turned around to face her. "How can we possibly play Slytherin next week! I haven't held practice for ages!"

"Well, James, when you have a lot of responsibilities you have to learn to manage them all," she said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but considering the circumstances, Lily, I think I was allowed to forget about quidditch practice. We had muggle-borns being attacked for Merlin's sake—"

"Alright, James, don't worry. We'll fix the schedule so that Gryffindor doesn't have to play for another month," Lily said, trying to calm me down.

And it helped a bit. I can get enough practice in with a month, but one week is just out of the question.

I turned back to the ice box and finally found something suitable.

Scallops.

That should be good.

Romance can never go wrong with sea food. That is unless…

"You're not allergic to shellfish, are you?" I asked over my shoulder. Typically, allergies were a muggle ailment. I never heard of them until I took Muggle Studies, but Lily had said before that she was allergic to dogs so better to check.

"Hmm?" she asked, looking up from the schedule in her hands. "Oh, no, I'm not."

"Good." I turned back to the stove and started on them. Then I went back into the pantry to try to find something to go with it.

"Do you think we should have Ravenclaw play the Hufflepuffs for the last match of the season or the second-to-last?" Lily asked, taking a seat at the table. She's so cute when she tries to talk about quidditch.

"Second-to-last, I want to play the last game so that we know how many points we need to win the cup."

"Oh, right, of course," she said, blushing.

I laughed softly. I wouldn't have to explain something like that to anyone else at Hogwarts, but only Lily wouldn't know how to give her House team the proper advantage.

Pasta! That should be good!

Hmmm…what kind of sauce…

"So what order do you want to play in, James?"

"Ummm, maybe give me the Slytherins last, that way if they try to injure anyone on the team we'll already be finished with the season, and other than that Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw don't really matter. They usually play clean games with us."

"Okay."

Being Head Boy and Quidditch Captain does have its advantages.

Lily set to work on my directions for the Gryffindor schedule and I looked for something to drink with dinner. There had to some sort of grape juice or something that would look classy in a nice glass…

Ah-ha! Some sparkling juice!

At least I think it's sparkling juice, I can't really read the goblin label.

Oh, well, this is Hogwarts, it's not like they would give us anything alcoholic after all. Sirius and I have to go all the way to Hogsmeade and flirt with Rosmerta for our firewhiskey and meade. They don't even keep any in the kitchens.

I piled everything onto a platter that was in one of the cupboards. Then I took it over to the table and bowed dramatically.

"Dinner is served."

Lily giggled and hurried to move her papers so that I could set down my tray. I made a show of setting her place for her.

"And for our lovely Head Girl," I said, placing her plate on the table, "Scallops and pasta alfredo."

"Mmm, it smells delicious, James."

"Ah, but there's more!" I transfigured an extra knife to a crystal goblet and poured the juice. "Goblin-made juice, for the lady."

She smiled and took it.

"So how's that schedule coming along?" I asked as I took the seat next to her. She pushed it over to me in a silent request for me to check her work. I started making corrections as she looked over my shoulder.

"Did I really botch it so badly?" She asked, annoyed.

I smiled. "Oh no, it's just that I'm trying to make everything fair for everyone."

"Trying to make sure Gryffindor has the advantage, you mean," she said. She was smiling though, so I knew she didn't mind.

"Try your dinner," I urged. "Tell me what you think."

I waited as she took a bite. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Where on Merlin's earth did you learn how to cook, James?"

I laughed. "I spent a lot of time in the kitchen as a child."

She laughed at that. "Oh, is that why I always caught you sneaking off to the kitchens during my rounds? You should have told me that it was nostalgia, James, I might have gone easier on you."

"Oh, Lily," I told her, half teasing and half-serious, "You would _never_ go easy on me."

xxxxxxxx

Four glasses of 'sparkling juice' later, it was too late to realize that it had been wine. Why the ice box gave me wine, I don't know, but I suppose I can't complain.

We were tipsy, without a doubt, and I went to lie on the couch. My head was still fine, but Lily was a bit more _inebriated_ that I…

The point was, I was trying to get away from her so that I didn't do something that we would regret.

But she wouldn't let me. A moment later, she was in my arms on the couch.

"James?" She said softly.

"Hmmm?"

"I'm drunk."

I chuckled softly. "I can see that, love."

Hopefully she was too drunk to notice that I had slipped and called her 'love.'

"James?"

"Hmmm?"

"I have something to tell you."

"What's that?"

She sat up on my chest and looked down at me with a bit of a frown on her face. She almost looked scared, actually.

"I think I fancy you…when I'm not…drunk, I mean…yeah…that's what I mean."

"Really?" I grinned. My grin nearly split my face in two, but I barely noticed that because my heart was about to burst.

Merlin, who knew it was possible to be this happy?

She didn't look as happy as I did though. She still looked a bit scared.

"Sirius told me I should tell you…and he said that I didn't have to love you, but I should let you know that I fancy you…and I don't think I love you but I do fancy you…and …yeah."

Not the most romantic setting, what with her words spilling out in a garbled, drunken rush, but I didn't care. Lily Evans had just said she fancied _me_.

"So…do you fancy me back, James?"

She really didn't know?

"Yes!"

She smiled down at me, and I took her hand and kissed it. Then she giggled.

"I fancy you, James Potter," She said, trying to control fits of giggles. Well, wine does that to girls.

"I fancy you, Lily Evans," I said, the smile felt as though it was permanently etched onto my face.

I didn't tell her I loved her.

I had planned on it, if she ever decided to date me, but I didn't want to scare her after what she said a minute before.

"I fancy you, Lily Evans," I said again, kissing her hand over and over, until she swooped down and kissed me herself.

It was the most wonderful kiss. It was soft and sweet. It held all of her innocence and beauty, and I never wanted it to end.

When she did pull away, I kissed her cheek softly and held her tight to my chest.

"Lily?"

"Hmmm?" I could tell she was already falling asleep.

"I _really_ hope you remember this tomorrow."

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I woke up the next morning and found myself on the couch with James. All the papers we had been working on were still strewn across the coffee table, and the dirty dishes were still out from dinner. We must have fallen asleep while we were working.

I disentangled myself as gently as I could, then went over to pile the dishes in the sink. A quick 'scourgify' and they were sparkling. When I turned around to go organize the papers I found James awake and watching me apprehensively.

"'Morning," I said, suddenly confused by his expression.

"'Morning," he answered, then asked hesitantly, "So, Lily, what happened last night?"

What an odd question. Isn't it obvious what happened?

"Well, we must have fallen asleep out here," I said, frowning at the papers I was picking up. "You'd think we would have gotten more work done though. Why?"

"Nothing," he said quickly, but I saw that he was trying to hide something in his expression. "Nothing, I just…couldn't remember."

"Nothing to worry about," I told him, trying to analyze his eyes. But he was averting his face so that I couldn't. "It's not like anything monumental happened last night, we just did some paper work."

"Right," he agreed, still not looking at me. Suddenly he got up. "I have to go," he said, then he disappeared through the door.

I didn't see him for the rest of the day.

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I didn't know it was possible for a heart to break this way.

I thought I had taken it all from her before, but this was just so much worse.

I had it in my hands. I had it! I had _everything_!

It's the cruelest trick the fates can play, to give you everything you want and then snatch it away.

What do I do?

The boys were already at breakfast when I walked in, so I went over there and sat. Sirius gave me about two seconds to look dejected before he said, "Alright, Prongs, tell us what happened."

"Something tells me this has to do with Lily," Remus said, examining my expression.

"It always has to do with Lily," Peter whined, "Why doesn't anything else get him this depressed? It would be a nice change, for once."

"Shut it, Wormtail, the poor boy's in love with her!" Sirius snapped before turning to me, "Spill, mate. It'll make you feel better."

I looked up at him and told the whole, miserable story.

I nearly cried.

But when I finished, all three of them were smiling at me.

"Oh, Prongs," Remus said, "Don't worry about a thing!"

"Yeah," Sirius said, "This is easy. All we have to do is get her to tell you again."

"_Easy_?" I asked. They have to be kidding. This isn't _easy_!

"Really, Prongs," Peter said, "I thought you were going to tell us that she turned you down again."

Well, no, I suppose she didn't, but still, why do they think this is a good thing?

"Don't worry, Prongs," Sirius said again, "We'll get her to tell you again. And this time she'll do it sober."

I knew he saw the misery when I looked him in the eye.

"That's a _promise_, mate," Sirius said.

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I hope you all liked it!

Once again, I'm saying 'thank you' at the end in the hopes that you will actually read it. So…THANK YOU REVIEWERS! I love reading the reviews, really.


	16. New Pajamas

Hey Everyone!

Here's chapter 16. I don't really have anything insightful to say, just that I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you review, because those reviews will cheer me up after a long day of finals. So anyways, this chapter is basically Lily feeling like she's lost her mind, but we all know what that's like.

**Disclaimer: James Potter is **_**still**_** not mine, which means that I am still not JKRowling and I still don't own the rest of Harry Potter, either.**

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Quidditch practice?

_Really_?

I mean, I know James is still being protective, and honestly I don't _really_ mind, but why did I have to go with him to his quidditch practice?

But there I was, sitting in the stands with my transfiguration book, trying to work on my essay. I can't believe McGonagall assigned a two-foot essay when she knows how much work James and I already have.

Although, truth be told, James was already finished with his essay. Oh well, I suppose if it was charms, I would have been finished first. To his credit, he did take periodic breaks from his outrageous flying tricks to come give me some help.

He was flying over to me just then, but Sirius hit a bludger his way and he had to go careening off in another direction. The next moment I found Sirius sitting next to me.

"Miss Lily! How's the essay coming along?" He said, throwing an arm around my shoulders and taking the parchment from my lap.

"I only have eight inches done!" I complained. "How much can one person possibly write on animagi? I mean, why would anyone even _want_ to turn themselves into an animal?"

He grinned at me. "Oh, come on, now, Miss Lily, it can't be that bad. In fact," he said, scrutinizing my half-finished paragraph, "I think if you rewrote this just a bit bigger you might come to a grand total of _twelve_ inches."

I smacked his shoulder.

"I'll pretend that hurt because I think it might make you feel better."

I smacked him again.

"Oi! Prongs! Your girlfriend is being abusive!"

James turned his broomstick so that he could face us in the air and started our way. I resisted the urge to smack Sirius again.

"What did you do that for?" I hissed, "I'm _not_ his girlfriend!"

His grin got wider. "Oh, Miss Lily, as far as every guy at Hogwarts is concerned, you belong to James. And since you obviously _want_ to be his—OW!"

I couldn't resist smacking him that time.

"So he's right, Lily?" James's voice joked from behind me, "You are being abusive? That's a shame, I thought you were warming up to us this year."

"All but one of you Marauders," I told them both, looking pointedly at Sirius, "Because one of you is incredibly talented at being a pain in the arse."

I don't know how it happened, exactly, but suddenly James's chin was resting on my shoulder and Sirius was gone.

His arms slipped around my waist.

Oh Merlin, why don't I mind that he's pulling me back against his chest and his scent is filling the air and his _voice_—his voice was driving me crazy! I could barely concentrate on what he was saying, just the fact that his sexy voice was in my ear. It was absolutely ridiculous that it was giving me actual, physical shivers.

"Are you getting cold out here?" He asked, and I felt him pull away slightly.

No! I wanted him to stay!

"Sorry about that," he said softly as I felt his cloak wrap around me. His arms slipped around my waist again. "It's so warm when we're playing quidditch, I forgot that you would be cold just sitting here. Merlin! Can you believe it's already the end of October?"

His laugh warmed me from the inside out.

I had to smile. "Almost Halloween," I said, turning in his arms to look at him. "Any big Marauder plans?"

He smiled mischievously. "Always. But I can't reveal them until the big day."

I pouted. "_Please_?"

He just shook his head, smile still in place. "Now how 'bout that transfiguration essay, hmmm? It has to be horrible if you were abusing Sirius because of it."

I groaned and looked down at the parchment on the bench. "Don't remind me."

He laughed again as he took the essay and began looking it over. "Hmmm…well, I can see that you have some major problems in your intro, Lily, you spelled 'animagus' wrong."

I groaned again. "I thought you were checking for me every time you flew by!"

He smiled. "No, I was just showing off for you, Lily. So anyway, animagus is spelled a-n-i…"

He was showing off for me?

Did I just hear him right?

I looked at him, wanting to search his eyes, but they were trained on the parchment. His expression, though, it was…well, I don't really know how to explain the happiness it gave me.

It was an odd reaction to the fact that he was simply concentrating.

But, I suppose when you fancy people you have to expect odd reactions to simple things.

When he finally looked back up at me I couldn't find the flicker of emotion that I wanted to see. I was disappointed, to say the least.

The quaffle hit him hard in the head. I jumped a bit, anxious for him, but he seemed to be fine.

"Sorry, Captain!" The keeper shouted from his post.

James gave him a look, then smiled at me. "Looks like they want me back. You sit tight and we'll go over this when we get back to the dorm, yeah?"

I just nodded and tried to smile. I hope it came out right.

Merlin, who knew that the intensity would double just by admitting to myself that I fancy James?

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"So, Prongs, any idea as to how this is progressing?" Remus asked as we sat in my old Gryffindor dorm. I had forgotten how much I missed this place.

The being together, not the, erm, _stench_, for lack of a kinder word.

I shook my head. "No idea. How am I supposed to be able to gauge how she's taking it? Or know what she's thinking?"

"She was flirting with you the other day, Prongs, don't worry," Sirius said as he stretched lazily on his bed. "We'll get it out of her soon."

"But _how_ soon?" I complained. I knew I sounded like a petulant five-year-old. "I want her _now_, Padfoot, not possibly, maybe, potentially five years from now!"

Remus laughed. "I don't think it'll take five years, mate. You might have to stretch your patience for a few months though."

I groaned in agony. Somehow, knowing she fancied me back made this harder to bear.

"So, what are you going to name your kids, Prongs?"

"Wow, what a question, Wormtail. Do you think you might let him actually get her in bed before asking it again?" Sirius commented sarcastically.

I threw a pillow at Sirius for talking about Lily that way.

I had an answer for Peter, but I didn't give it.

Annabelle.

I wanted a little girl with Lily's red hair and green eyes and I wanted to name her Annabelle.

I'll never share that with anyone, of course, except if there ever comes a time when I can share it with Lily.

The conversation continued around me.

"She was definitely flirting in charms yesterday, why else would she have been in such a good mood?" Sirius was saying.

"Lacy accidentally hit her with a cheering charm," Peter said.

Remus laughed. "Yeah, I saw that. Lacy was livid when she saw that it made Lily start flirting with James, though. You're right, Padfoot, she was doing it the whole class…"

I tuned out a bit until Sirius spoke to me directly.

"So, Prongs, I guess you'll just have to keep doing what I told you to."

"She really doesn't know that I fancy her?" I asked, still slightly incredulous. "How could she not know? I took a damn _curse_ for her, for Merlin's sake."

"Well, girls can be confusing like that," Remus said, laughing slightly. "So you have to make sure she knows that you _do_ fancy her, and then maybe she'll pluck up the courage to tell you again."

"Although, at least you got a good snog out of that deal, mate," Sirius added.

"Why don't you just ask her to Hogsmeade next weekend?" Peter asked.

That was a good question, actually. I don't know why Sirius won't let me ask her to Hogsmeade. If she really does fancy me now, won't she say yes? In fact, why won't he let me just _tell_ her that I fancy her? I mean, we sleep in the same bed every night, for Merlin's sake.

"Because, Wormtail," Sirius started to explain, "Me and Moony decided that it wasn't a strategic move to ask her out right now. She only just admitted this to me last week! Give her some time to get used to the idea, then Prongs will ask her out."

"Who knows, Prongs," Remus said, still smiling, "Maybe you'll even be getting her a Christmas present next time we go into Hogsmeade."

I grinned at the prospect.

Well, I always got her Christmas presents, but she might actually _keep_ it this year. She did keep that bracelet I gave her for her birthday.

"I hope so," Sirius said dramatically, "I've been running out of ideas for what to get you lot. She'd be a good early present for James."

I threw another pillow at him.

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"Did you get the firewhiskey, James? I was going to mix it in right at the owlry, so that it would be the last possible moment."

"Why?" He asked, slightly worried, "Will ten minutes really make a difference?"

"Not a big difference," I assured him, "but the fresher the alcohol is in the potion, the stronger the effects. It could make the potion last for six weeks, but probably we'll only get five."

"Alright, well, did you want to go up now? Or should we wait until tonight so that hopefully the owl will find her instead of her parents?"

I couldn't trust these school owls. They just weren't as good as my Hermes, but we couldn't use our own owls, of course.

"Let's go after breakfast," I suggested. "That way it will find her at about nightfall."

"Right," James said as he turned me toward the portrait hole. "Breakfast it is."

As we went down to the Great Hall my hand itched to take his. But I controlled it. This wasn't the time.

We sat with Remus and Alice who were quietly discussing papers that looked like complicated arithmancy homework. They looked up when we sat down.

"So," Alice said in a low murmur, "Today, then?"

"We have to do it today, or risk being too late," James answered her in the same low tone. "She's supposed to be back sometime this week."

I shuddered internally. I still remember the look in her eyes when she pointed that wand at me.

I still remember how James defended me.

I still remember how I kissed him afterward.

I was suddenly very aware that he was sitting right next to me on the bench, barely a few inches of space between us.

I think he sensed the change. He looked down at me right at that moment, and the intensity of his gaze froze all my thought processes.

Good Merlin, this boy is in my head all the time, isn't he?

"Well, when are you going to do it?" Remus was asking from far away. I jerked myself back to the present.

"Right after breakfast," James was answering him. I was a little annoyed. I wanted him to be as effected by my eyes as I was by his. But there he was, perfectly capable of responding intelligently to a question when all I could do was nod numbly.

"Ok, well, we'll just follow you up there as soon as you're rea—oh! Hi, Frank," Alice blushed.

Nice to know I'm not the only one pining over an oblivious boy. Really, I don't understand why Frank hasn't asked her to Hogsmeade yet. They are both _clearly_ enamored with each other.

Well, I suppose Alice won't be joining us for the send-off then. That's a shame. I'm sure Bellatrix would have liked to know that the send-off of her poison was prestigious enough to warrant the presence of most of the Gryffindors.

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Sirius was practically dancing he was so excited.

I mean, I knew he hated Bellatrix, but really, _this_ much?

Well, I suppose I'm excited too. And it has been a while since we pulled a decent prank. There's been no need, actually. The Slytherin boys are still trapped because Dumbledore can't figure out what's wrong with their doors.

As Head Boy, I was there when he was investigating the next day, and I had to stifle my laugh when he announced that he was dumbfounded and winked in my direction.

But now that Bellatrix and the other suspended students are due back this week, we're going to have to put our heads together again.

Merlin, there's nothing I want more than to murder them all, but I don't think I could, even if I had the chance.

Well, I might be able to do it to Snape, but I think that would hurt Lily too much. She seems like she doesn't give a rat's arse anymore, but really, how could she not? If Sirius and I suddenly had some huge falling out I wouldn't ever be over it.

Although I suppose the difference is that Sirius is actually a decent bloke, and Snape has been getting steadily worse over the years. I don't even understand how Lily could have befriended him in the beginning.

But that's Lily Evans for you. She sees the beauty in others despite the world's opinion.

I was snapped back to the present by a small hand on my arm.

"James, come on, give me the firewhiskey," Lily prodded.

"Oh, right, er, sorry." I pulled the shrunken bottle out of my pocket and engorged it before handing it to her. We all watched her pour some potion delicately into the empty perfume bottle, then fill it to the top with firewhiskey. She stoppered the bottle and shook it before packing it into a box. Sirius dropped a note in and attached it to the owl with some extra spell-o-tape.

"You got that, tawny?" Sirius asked the owl.

It hooted in response.

"Alright then, go on. Go find Bellatrix Black," he told it. It swooped off into the clear morning air and I watched his grin as he looked after it. Then he turned to the rest of us. "It's about damn time that Bellatrix had to pay."

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I look forward to sleep now.

I mean truly and whole-heartedly look forward to it.

Every night I crawl into James's bed and he wraps his arms around me and there's no happier place in the world.

I told Alice about it yesterday afternoon. She nearly fainted. I couldn't help but be slightly annoyed at that. Was it really so impossible that we might get along and he might want me in his bed that first Sirius and then Alice faint at the news?

Regardless, though, she suggested that I…erm…get new pajamas.

I took her advice, and we snuck out to Hogsmeade together. But now I just felt silly.

I mean, was I really supposed to knock on his door wearing _this_?

I suppose that I shouldn't have let Alice pick, but really, I don't think she'd ever pick out anything like this for _herself_. She's much too eager to put me on display, though, so I'll have to pay her back for this someday.

Although I suppose it's not _that_ bad, really. The pale gold silk does reach my knees, at least, though the top is cut a bit low. After seeing everything in the shop, I had taken that trade, as all the other options were too embarrassing to even consider.

I had almost plucked up the courage to knock on his door when it opened on its own. And then he froze in the doorway.

His mouth actually fell open slightly as he looked me up and down. I blushed despite my determination not to.

"Are you ready for bed, James?" I forced myself to say, stumbling over each word. I could feel my face turn redder by the second.

He just nodded.

I have to admit, it is kind of satisfying that he can't form words right now.

Maybe he is still interested in me, even after all these years.

I laid down in his bed and my heart leapt when he pulled me into his arms.

"James?" I asked softly.

"Hmm?" He replied, seeming eager.

"Good night."

He looked disappointed. Well really, what did he think I was going to say?

But a moment later he pulled me closer and gave me a heart-stopping smile. "Good night, Lily."

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"What do you mean, 'She's back?'" Sirius hissed.

"I mean, I saw her walking down the Charms corridor, that's what I mean!" Remus hissed back. It's a good thing Professor Binns doesn't listen to anyone but himself, because we would have serious trouble in any other class.

"How's that _possible_?" I asked, annoyed. "The school owls aren't that bad, it must have gotten to her."

"Oh, it did," Remus said, lowering his voice even more, "I heard her bragging about it in the hallway—"

"She was bragging?" Peter cut him off, "Why would anyone brag about being sent poison?"

"Because," Remus continued, "She was bragging that she was smart enough not to drink it. She knew it was poison."

"But how did she know?" Sirius asked, "We did everything to make it authentic!"

"She said Regulus already sent her a present."

I could almost see the anger radiating out of Sirius. "That little git."

I shook my head. "Well, it _would_ have been a great plan. You're cousin's not as thick as I'd like her to be, Sirius."

"You're telling me," he muttered angrily. "Alright, so now what do we do?"

"We can always try the same trick again," Remus said, his brow furrowed.

"They didn't fall for it the first time, why would they fall for it the second time?" I said angrily. We were all upset that Bellatrix hadn't taken the bait.

"Idiot Regulus for already sending her a gift," Sirius was muttering, "Why doesn't he just lick the dirt off her shoes next time, polish them with his damn _tongue_, the suck-up…"

"_Bellatrix_ didn't fall for it the first time," Remus corrected, "And let's face it, she's the smartest of all of them. The others might be fooled."

I looked up at that. He did actually have a point.

"We would have to change the plan a bit," he continued, "but we still have left-over potion, so that's not a problem."

"What do you want us to try?" I asked, interested.

"It's very simple, really," Remus said. "We'll do the same thing. Mix the potion with firewhiskey and give it to them. But this time we use the actual firewhiskey bottle and leave it in the seventh-years' dorm. They'll think it was theirs to begin with and drink it before Bellatrix might warn them otherwise."

I nodded.

"That's perfect," Peter agreed.

"That won't keep them off Hogwarts grounds, though," Sirius said, frowning deeply.

"No, but at least they'll be confined to the hospital wing," I pointed out.

"Alright then," Remus said, "Let's go get another bottle of firewhiskey."

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I hope you enjoyed it!

As always, **THANK YOU** to all my reviewers. You guys are wonderful, and I love reading your reviews.

And I have an exciting announcement to make. I'm free from summer school for two weeks! YAY! So, updates will be more like they used to be, every few days rather than once a week.


	17. I'm Crazy, Who Cares?

Hello Everyone!

So, this is chapter 17. It's officially Thursday, which means I am taking evil, horrible, finals today, and I don't feel bad about wasting time on this when I should have been studying because it just sort of spilled out. But anyway, same thing again, your reviews will give me something to look forward to after those horrible finals, so please review this chapter!

This is Lily's insanity continuing, but I like her insane. It makes her more real.

**Disclaimer: I am not now, nor will I ever be, JKRowling (sniff, tear drop).**

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"So let me get this straight," Alice was saying, "The plan _didn't_ work the first time, but you think it will work the second time?"

"Yes," Remus said.

"You are aware that this is one definition of insanity, yes?" She asked.

Remus shook his head and laughed. "Let's just give it a shot, Alice. What do we have to loose?"

"We do still have the rest of that potion," Sirius said, trying to persuade her. "What else are we going to do with it?"

"But we don't want to get sloppy here, boys. Trying the same trick twice? Isn't that against some sort of Marauder code?"

I was bored with the conversation. I was already convinced, and I trusted the boys to make sure they didn't leave any evidence. But really, it seemed pretty foolproof. Of course the Slytherins would think that it was their firewhiskey, and they would never admit to drinking it on school grounds, so there was no way anyone would know how they even drank the potion, much less trace it to us.

Alice didn't seem to be as sure.

I let her try to convince the others that this was a bad idea and snuck a look at James from the corner of my eye. He caught me and gave me a smile that made my heart skip a beat.

Good Merlin and all things sacred, that boy is absolutely _gorgeous_.

How did I end up fancying James Potter?

Oh well, there's no undoing it now. I suppose that I can just enjoy his company when I have it. I don't understand why he had to sit on the other side of the table, though. If he had been next to me I would have been closer to that incredibly messy hair and I may have had a chance to brush my hand against his, feel the texture of the skin there.

But he wasn't next to me.

And I hated that.

Yesterday, Alice reminded me again that we have a Hogsmeade trip this weekend. She wants me to ask James. She thinks I should be strong, and independent. I have no problem with strong and independent, but that doesn't mean I have the nerve to ask James out. She wouldn't drop it though, so I told her that I would if she asked Frank.

She didn't bring it up again after that.

I just, I mean, I don't know.

If he asked me out again I think I would scream and jump into his arms, but he hasn't. And so I'm left wondering what he thinks of me, or if he might still fancy me, even a little bit.

And what if I were to ask him to Hogsmeade? I wouldn't mind that if I only I could be certain that he would say yes.

I'm such a horrible person. All those times that he asked me out, knowing that I would refuse him, and he had to courage to do it anyway. Why can't I be like that?

Oh, good Merlin, now look! I've gone from fancying James in spite of myself to wondering why I can't be more like him!

There really is something wrong with me, isn't there.

Actually, scratch that. There's nothing wrong with me. James is a decent, courageous person, and I _should_ be more like him.

And whether Alice asks Frank or not, I _should_ ask James.

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He was sitting on one of the couches in our common room.

I could ask.

We would have privacy, at least.

I should ask… I should…right?

No, I mean, yes, I mean, yes I should.

Yeah, that's what I mean.

Oh, who am I kidding? I chickened out and was about to shut my door when I accidentally hit my foot against the doorframe and James looked up.

"Lily? What's going on?"

"Oh, um, nothing. I was just…coming to ask you about the plans for the potion," I improvised. I nearly cried when he patted the seat next to him for me. Merlin, what was I thinking? I can't ask him out!

"Yeah, you still have the rest of the cauldron full, don't you? I was thinking we might fill a few bottles, and put them into the sixth and seventh years' dorms, that way we don't have to hope that they pull out the one that happens to be poisoned."

I looked at him blankly.

"Well, you know, Sirius, Remus and Peter," he explained, "They went to the Slytherin dorms to see where they hide their firewhiskey, and it turned out they have lots of it. And I mean _lots_. So I figure if we have a couple bottles, they'll be more likely to pick up a poisoned one and drink it."

I shook my head as my brain started to work again. "Right, right…I get it now, sorry James."

"Don't worry about it," he reassured me, looking amused. "So," he prompted after a moment, "Do we have enough potion left to do that?"

"Oh! Yes, of course we still do," I said a little too quickly. Does my voice always have to go up three whole octaves when I'm nervous?

He game me a smile, as if he knew something I didn't. "So we're set then," he said.

"Yes, definitely," I said, starting to get up, but he took my hand.

"No," he said softly, "Stay."

Who would have thought that hazel would be a good color for hypnosis?

Without any further attempts at protest, I was pulled down next to him on the couch, barely a few inches of space between us.

He smiled.

When did his smile start making my heart skip beats?

"So, how has your day been, Lily?"

I blushed, but I answered, and we carried on that way for the rest of the evening.

I should have asked him then.

I really should have.

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"Why didn't Lily and Alice come with?" Peter asked again.

"Because, Wormtail," I sighed, getting a little tired of repeating myself, "Alice doesn't actually know we're doing it and I told Lily to get some sleep."

"Without you?" Sirius asked. I could hear the curiosity in his voice.

"Yeah, I put her in my bed," I told him. "Hopefully that will be enough to help her sleep. She's been acting loony for the past few days."

"Loony?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, I really don't know what's up with her. Hopefully a good night's rest is all she needs."

"Well couldn't you have made her sleep before today?" Sirius complained, "We worked hard for all this firewhiskey, she didn't have to give it _all_ to the Slytherins! You know, Moony actually had to snog Rosmerta for it this time?"

I laughed. "Oh, poor Moony," I said sarcastically, "I bet that was a chore."

"I prefer drinking butterbeer to snogging it, thank you very much," Remus replied, annoyed.

"Oh, come on now, Moony," Sirius replied cheerfully, "I've snogged Rosmerta before, and she smells lovely."

"That's just because you would make butterbeer into a perfume if you could, Padfoot," Remus shot back.

I have to say, it is quite funny to hear expressions in voices rather than see them on faces. But it's time we piped down.

"Oi, we're here. Shut it before they hear us," I said, stopping before the Slytherin dungeon.

Immediate silence.

Then I heard Sirius mutter, "Ptolomy."

The doors slid open with a hiss.

"Ptolomy?" I asked in a whisper, "Really?"

"They figure Ptolomy was a pureblood," Remus answered.

Wow, they don't take a break, do they?

We continued quietly up the boys staircase and stopped at the sixth years' door.

"How many bottles?" Peter asked quietly as I uncovered the crate.

"I dunno," Sirius said, "D'you reckon we should get the fifth years too?"

"Regulus is a fifth year Sirius," Remus reminded him.

"That doesn't change the question," Sirius answered stubbornly.

"I don't think so, Padfoot," I said, knowing that we would have to give a reason other than blood ties. "The fifth years aren't involved yet, let's not waste the firewhiskey."

He didn't say anything to that, so I assumed my excuse was good enough for him. I knew he was still angry that Regulus had actually sent Bellatrix a present for getting suspended on such terms.

Residual Devil's Snare was still on the door, I knew because it tried to snatch at my wrist as I went in. I think Dumbledore left some in the hopes it would grow over again and trap them, but after a month, he could no longer pretend that he hadn't solved the problem.

Several bottles of firewhiskey floated out of the crate and made their way to a corner of the room where a concealed crate suddenly sprung open. I did a quick 'muffliato' to keep the Slytherins from waking.

When we went up to the seventh years' dorm, I couldn't help opening a bottle and pouring some straight into Snape's mouth. The git didn't even stir when I forced his mouth open and poured it inside. Amazing, really. He must sleep like a rock.

We made our way back out of their common room.

"Everyone here?" I asked.

I got three responses so we hurried back up to the Heads' dorm.

"Are you going to Disillusion us, Prongs?" Sirius asked. "How good at it are you, now?"

"Um, maybe Remus should give it a try," I said. I know I'm okay at it, but I'd rather not attempt it when I'm sleep-deprived.

It took him about half and hour to get it right, but Remus eventually got us all disillusioned. I looked around the sitting room.

"Well, do you want beds or are you okay on the couches?" I asked.

"Well, if you don't mind," Sirius joked as he started toward my door, "I think I'll take your bed, Prongs. I need just as much beauty sleep as Lily after all."

"I don't think so, Padfoot," I said, hooking an arm around him and pulling him back. I transfigured the couches and armchairs so that there were three beds sitting in the room. "Good night, mates, see you in the morning. Oh, and Sirius," I called over my shoulder as an afterthought, "If you wake me or Lily up tomorrow morning I will kill you."

I saw his grin before I shut my door.

I thought Lily was sleeping soundly, but the moment I got into bed she cuddled up against my side.

"_Finally_," she mumbled against my chest. "How'd it go?"

"Great, sweetheart," I told her, not mentioning how I made certain that one Severus Snape would be sick by the morning. "Now get some sleep."

xxxxxxx

I nearly had to drag a half-asleep Lily into the Great Hall the following morning.

"Why do we have to come all the way down here?" She groaned, "We could have had breakfast in our dorm!"

"Because I want to see how many Slytherins show up to breakfast this morning," I answered, thinking it would be obvious.

She shook her head. "Do you think they drink before _breakfast_, James, they'll all be here _now_. See how many are missing at dinner, or by tomorrow morning."

I thought about it for a moment. "That is more logical."

She groaned again. She really shouldn't have waited for us to get back last night. The poor girl isn't used to staying up so late, not even for studying, really.

I steered her to a seat with the boys and then turned to look more closely at the Slytherin table.

"Snape and MacNair are missing," Sirius murmured in a low voice.

"They might just not be here, or just skip breakfast," Remus added.

Sirius gave him a glare that said he was not happy with such an innocent explanation.

"What?" Remus defended himself, "That could be all there is to it."

Sirius turned back to the Slytherin table. "I don't see anyone else missing, do you?"

"No," I answered, craning my neck to check the far end of the table.

"I told you to wait until dinner, at least," Lily said as she nibbled on some dry toast. I really need to get more into that girl's diet, she hasn't been eating well lately. Maybe that's why she's been acting oddly.

"Why are you all so interested in the Slytherin table?"

We all jumped and turned to look at Alice.

"Because they slipped them the firewhiskey even though you didn't like the idea. Shouldn't you be talking to Frank?" Lily was helpful enough to inform her. Oddly enough, the bored, tired tone of Lily's voice seemed to be enough to hold back Alice's annoyance at our scheme. She just sat and fumed quietly to herself.

We sat there until breakfast was over, and eventually MacNair did show.

Snape didn't.

And then Lily looked at me, seeming to know what I did.

"Sorry," I told her, not the least bit sincerely, "I couldn't help myself."

I thought she would be angry, but she just shrugged and we made our way to class.

The final period of the day was Transfiguration, and before we even settled into our seats McGonagall announced, "Potter, Evans, stay after class."

Sirius turned to me, knowing what it was about. The Slytherins had a free period before lunch, and seemed to have disappeared from the hallways since.

Class passed in a blur, I only remember taking Lily's hand to show her how to move her wand properly. She had turned a lovely pink in response.

But anyway, after class we made our way to the front.

"I don't want to know how you did it, in fact, I want you to deny doing it," McGonagall started, "but they won't tell us what happened, so just tell me what it is so that we can fix them after confining them for some time in the hospital wing."

"It's a slightly more powerful Sickness Potion," Lily informed her, "made even more potent by alcohol."

McGonagall nearly smiled. "You're telling me that they consumed alcoholic beverages on Hogwarts grounds and could, potentially, be suspended should they admit to it in the hopes of furthering their treatment?"

"Oh, hey," I brightened, turning to Lily, "I didn't know they could be suspended for that!"

"I did," Lily answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, annoyed.

"Because they'll never admit to it anyway, and I didn't want them to trace the firewhiskey bottles back to—"

"STOP!" McGonagall bellowed. "What did I say just two minutes ago, Miss Evans?"

"Right, sorry, Professor," Lily answered sheepishly, realizing that she had almost admitted our involvement.

McGonagall looked us over for a moment, then said, "You may go now."

Lily turned and left so quickly I nearly had to run to keep up with her.

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"Lily? Where's Alice?" I wanted to ask why she looked so upset and nervous, but I thought I might work up to it. Asking her outright hasn't gotten me any answers the past few days.

"Ummm, she's off with Frank," she answered, entirely too uncomfortable.

"Frank?" I was incredibly confused. That sounded completely normal. It must be something else that was making her nervous.

Oh, to hell with it. I'm just going to ask.

"What's got you on edge, Lily?"

She tensed even more and looked away. I sat down on the couch next to her.

"Tell me. Please?"

Even though she tried to hide it, I could see her blush. "Nothing. We just… have a lot of things, and work, and stress, and…stuff, that's all."

I touched her cheek and turned her toward me. Oh, that skin is divinely soft.

But I have to concentrate on something else right now.

When I had her looking up at me I asked again. "Lily? Tell me what's wrong."

She bit her lip and blushed again.

Then she blushed deeper.

Then she mumbled something to the couch.

"What was that?" I frowned, trying to decipher what she had said.

She looked up and suddenly something was blazing in her eyes. The sight took my breath away.

"James, will you go out with me?"

SWEET MERLIN, YES!

"No."

"What?"

"No, Lily. I've asked you that question a million times-well, six thousand, four hundred and seventy-two to be exact-and I refuse to never get the answer I want."

Lily looked confused. And incredibly hurt.

"So I'm going to ask you once more," I told her quickly, hoping to wipe the hurt expression from her eyes, "and I hope you can give me the answer I want to hear this time."

I got down on one knee and took her hand, kissing it softly. There was a time when she would have slapped me for something as cliché as this. Was it really only a year ago? But it didn't matter anymore. Lily was waiting for me to ask her something very important.

"Lily Marie Evans," I started. She giggled.

Oh, and she wouldn't be my Lily if she didn't interrupt.

"How did you know my middle name?"

I chuckled. "I paid Lacy a galleon to tell me first year."

"That Lacy, I should strangle her," Lily said, though I could tell she wasn't really mad.

"Then I probably shouldn't tell you that she wanted me to pay her with a kiss, but settled for the galleon."

Lily laughed. "Oh well, you're mine now."

My heart swelled to hear her say that.

"Which brings me back to what I was saying…"

"Right. Sorry, Potter, please continue."

"All this and I'm still Potter? I thought I had progressed to _James_," I whined.

She smiled, "Just for old times sake. Don't you wonder what it would be like if I had said yes back then?"

I grinned. "It would be just as wonderful as it's going to be now," I told her. Then turned serious, "But as I was saying-"

"Right! Sorry, go ahead, James."

I smiled again. "Lily Marie Evans, I need you more than I could possibly tell you, but I think I might be able to show you. Will you go out with me? So that I can show you how much I care?"

That was the second time that I almost said I love you. Granted, she wouldn't have remembered the first, but I would still have to watch that. She was finally mine, I didn't want to mess this up by moving too fast.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Yes," I whispered back weakly. Even though I knew she was going to say it, I couldn't deny the surge of joy I felt. "YES!" I yelled, jumping up and scooping her into my arms.

Then I lowered my head to hers, and she pressed her lips to mine, and I was lost in heaven.

xxxxxxx

I hope you liked it!

And, once again, THANKYOU TO ALL MY REVIEWERS! A special thank-you goes out to Miss Kayla for being with me from the very first chapter and leaving me that lovely, long review last chapter! It was wonderful!

And also, thank you to everyone who added me to their favorites/alerts lists. You guys make me feel great about my work : )


	18. These Violent Delights

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 18 here. Wow, we're already at chapter 18. Well, anyways, they're finally going out—YAY!-but their problems are far from over. And poor James thinks that one date with Lily gives him permission to go crazy, although I think he would have gone crazy without the date anyway.

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters**

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I pulled my hair back and fastened it with my grandmother's emerald clip.

I decided I didn't like that look.

I pulled the clip out in frustration and all my hair came tumbling down in a mess around my shoulders.

Well now what? I can't very well go down to the sitting room to meet James with my hair in such a state.

I tried to pull it back again and realized that I was being counter-productive. So then I grabbed my wand and charmed it into submission, thinking of a photo I had once seen in a muggle magazine. I looked into the mirror and saw the soft curls I had been thinking of.

Good. It worked.

I put on an extra coat of mascara and the bracelet he had given me for my birthday, then took a deep breath as I took one last look in the mirror.

I was going on a date with James Potter.

_Me_, of all people.

Funny enough, no one seems to be as surprised by this as I am. It's gotten on my nerves a bit, actually. Although they do seem very happy for James, so I suppose I can't be angry at them for long.

My hand actually shook a bit as I reached for the doorknob. This was silly, my hand shouldn't be shaking. But it was, and I gripped the knob with unnecessary force in order to stop it.

I took another deep breath and opened the door as softy as I could.

He was pacing the sitting room, looking as nervous as I felt. When he saw me he stopped and stared.

A little too long.

Is something wrong with me? Oh, no, was the hair a bit much? Am I not dressed right for his plans? What should I—

"You're so _beautiful_," he said, stopping my panic attack.

I tried to smile through the nerves. "You're not so bad yourself."

He cracked a grin at that, and his smile made me smile for real, and then I knew that this would be alright.

If I could just remember to breathe.

Although, in all honesty, I wasn't really as interested in breathing as I was in snogging him senseless.

He offered me his arm, and that's when I took my eyes off his face long enough to notice the particular shade of burgundy that he was wearing. It was perfect. It made his black hair even blacker and his eyes more hazel.

And, of course, it clung to his muscled arms which were the current reason for my lapse in breathing.

"So," I said as lightly as I could manage with my stomach rebelling against me, "Where are we off to, James?"

He smiled down at me and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, adding heart flutters to my stomach issues.

"We're off on a proper date, Lily Evans, with all the traditional trimmings." Then he seemed to pause for a moment, worried, "I hope you _like_ proper dates?"

My smile came easily when I needed to reassure him. "I love them. But I'm usually more interested in the person who's on the date with me."

He smiled. "I sincerely hope I don't disappoint."

"I sincerely believe you," I said, smiling back.

He leaned in close to my ear. I wanted him to kiss me, but he just pushed my hair back and whispered softly, "I really hope you enjoy yourself today, Lily."

I shiver ran through me in response to his words.

James Potter is something I've never encountered before, he really is.

As we walked down to Hogsmeade, something made me remember that first night at Hogwarts. The very first time I stepped off the train and saw him, he was already chattering with Sirius and Remus.

But there had just been something about _him_ that I remember. And now I realize, as he has my hand securely in his, that it was something that never changed. Something about him had assured me that I _belonged_ here, in this strange new world. And that has always remained the same, no matter the circumstance. Whether we were yelling or laughing, it always felt _right_ to be there. It felt as though I was home.

His presence felt like home.

He was doing it right then, and he didn't even realize it.

And he still does it, all the time.

I laughed to myself.

"What?" James asked, turning to me and looking a bit nervous.

"Nothing," I said. I couldn't help my smile. "I'm just happy we're here."

A smile spread across his face in response. "I'm glad."

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I was sitting with Lily in Madam Puddifoot's, staring across the table at her and desperately hoping that she was enjoying herself, when I saw the boys through the window of the cafe.

Oh no, they look like they're going to come charging in here, aren't they?

I care about my mates and all, and I would do anything for them except give up private time with Lily on our _first date_. They should know this.

Right now I wouldn't mind hexing them back to Hogwarts.

But as they opened the door to the little shop and came into clearer view, I realized that they might just have a _very_ good reason for ruining my date. All three of them were a bit of a scuffed up mess, and Sirius had something that looked suspiciously like dried blood covering his sleeve.

Lily looked up almost immediately, noticing my distraction.

I started but was immediately cut-off, "What—"

"Bellatrix," Sirius said, deadly calm.

I always hate deadly-calm-Sirius. It means that he has no room left for anger; he's just filled with sadness.

Remus decided to elaborate. "She was alone, she must have been upset that she didn't have anyone to _play_ with…I'm sorry about this, I really am, but we need the two of you."

Lily was already getting up from the booth and we followed them out of the shop as quickly as we could. She started shivering slightly as we made our way up a small hillside, so I pulled her close and wrapped my arms around her, hoping to keep her warm.

It turned out that Bellatrix on her own was nearly as destructive as the rest of the Slytherins combined. What lay on the ground before us all was not something that I had wanted to put Lily through on our first date.

And the wench lay stunned in the snow next to her victim.

"Does she ever stop?" Lily whispered beside me, her voice filled with anger.

"Can you do anything, Lily? We weren't sure if we should move her in such a state," Remus asked quietly, not seeming to have much hope for it.

"We tried our usual spells," Peter added, noticing that I was drawing my own wand. "Nothing helped."

Lily went to kneel by the body. "What spells?" She asked.

"_Episkey_," Sirius clarified, "Usually works like a charm, but…"

Lily turned back to the bleeding body and started to run her wand over the open wounds.

"Lucky you lot were up here," I said quietly, watching Lily work and aching because I knew I couldn't help.

"Yeah," Sirius said, "Just taking a look at the Shrieking Shack. The most haunted building in all of Britain, you know."

I gave him a sideways glance. I was sure that Lily was too absorbed in her work, but she didn't know this secret and I wasn't ready to tell her yet.

I mean, 'Oh, and by the by, I'm an unregistered animagus,' doesn't usually come up on the first date.

"I don't think there's anything else I can do," Lily said softly as she turned back to us. "We have to get her to Madam Pomfrey if there's any chance…"

Sirius was the first one over by the body, Remus and I were right behind him as he lifted her and started back toward the castle. We tried to help but he just glared. He takes this personally every time. He feels the need to put things right so badly because he takes Bellatrix's guilt onto himself. She has no conscience, and he has double. I can see it in his eyes.

Instead I picked up Bellatrix to bring her to Dumbledore.

We started trudging back off to the castle when I asked him, "Why don't you just conjure her a stretcher, Padfoot?"

He turned to me with a glare and then seemed to realize that it was better than bouncing the poor girl around. He had her on a stretcher within seconds. I continued to carry the wench over my shoulder, not caring if she got a bit banged up on the trip. She deserved much worse, after all.

"Sirius stunned her?" I muttered softly to Remus as we walked back up to the castle.

"Yeah," he answered as quietly as he could manage, "I've never seen that look in his eyes before. I genuinely hope I never see it again."

I shook my head, knowing exactly the look he meant. "I can _guarantee _you, Remus, you will see that look again."

Sirius isn't all fluff like most people think he is. He really is a tortured soul.

When we finally got back up to the castle, I left the group to deliver Bellatrix to Dumbledore. I swear by Merlin if he doesn't expel her this time I don't know what I'll do.

The gargoyle saw what I was carrying and let me in, leaving me with the daunting task of getting up those nauseating stairs with at least a hundred pounds of dead weight on my shoulder. It was not easy to accomplish, to say the least. This girl's much heavier than she looks.

I shoved her into one of the armchairs in Dumbledore's office, although I was sorely tempted to drop her on the floor.

Dumbledore looked up at the loud thump she made on the armchair.

"Mr. Potter, how nice to see you."

I didn't bother with the niceties, I was far too angry at the _thing_ that was behind me.

"Professor, if you don't expel her this time, I can't be held responsible for what happens to her."

He searched me over his half-moon spectacles, then gave a small nod. "I agree with you, James."

I nodded, relieved but not calmed. "I have to go see what became of the girl she cursed. Sirius took her up to the hospital wing."

"I will join you once I attend to Miss Black."

I nodded at this, knowing that he wanted me to leave.

I didn't go directly to the hospital wing, but took a detour to the dorms to punch the living daylights out of my pillow. When I got there I stopped short.

There was a school owl and a letter sitting on my bed.

I flopped onto the bed and took the letter. It wasn't addressed to me, in fact it wasn't addressed to anyone. I slit it open anyway and read the letter in my hands.

_You were right. Your constant presence is the only thing keeping her safe._

_DO NOT LEAVE HER ALONE._

It wasn't signed. The owl flew off as soon as I read the it, leaving me with absolutely no way of writing back.

I just sat there and stared at the note.

Well damn.

xxxxxxxxx

"James, what is this?"

I didn't need to turn, but I did anyway. She was holding the parchment in her trembling hand.

I crossed the room and had her in my arms within five seconds.

"It's alright, Lily, I won't ever let them touch you, I promise," I murmured as soothingly as I could, stroking her hair a little too frantically to be soothing. I felt a few drops on my shoulder as the tears started falling.

"James," she said through her sobs, "This is Sev—I mean, Snape's hand."

Damn.

Well, at least now I know that the intentions behind the note were sincere. That gigantic greaseball has always had a thing for Lily.

But, as selfish as this is, I really hope this doesn't restore their friendship. I want her to myself.

I let her sob into my shoulder for a few minutes, then decided that it wasn't going to stop anytime soon, so I pulled her over to the bed and got us both as comfortable as I could.

This was going to be a long night.

xxxxxxxx

"So let me get this straight," Sirius was saying for the third time in a row, "You got an unsigned letter from Snape, saying that if you leave Lily alone you're putting her in danger?"

James nodded. I could almost see the anger coming off of him in waves.

"Ok," Remus said, "So we don't leave her alone."

James dropped his head into his hands. Sirius turned to me, saying, "You're _sure_ that was Snape's hand?"

"Yes."

"Okay, but why would he want to warn—"

"Trust me, Padfoot, I really don't think he's going to lie to me about this one," James cut Sirius off.

This was getting annoying, actually. I mean, I don't need to be guarded every second of the day and night. As attractive as it is to think that James wants to be my hero against the big, bad Slytherins, it's kind of insulting that they think I can't handle myself.

"Really, boys, don't get carried away," I started, only to be cut-off by a very angry James.

"Lily, there's no way that I'm _not_ going to get _carried away_ after I get a note saying you're the prime target if they ever find you alone! Do you have any idea—"

"Well, apparently," I started again, getting heated despite my determination to be patient with him, "what we've been doing so far has been good enough! I don't need you to assign Alice as my bathroom buddy!"

"Oh, ok, well if you don't want Alice then I can go with you—OW!"

I didn't have to go all the way over there to smack him. Sirius was kind enough to do it for me.

"Really, Prongs," Remus said, "She has a point. And the more you try to put a guard up around her, the more they're going to want to find a way to get at her."

"And I will make sure that never happens, not matter how hard they try," James said through his teeth.

"Did you tell Dumbledore about it yet?" Sirius asked.

"Yes. He doesn't know what to say, other than to tell me not to leave her alone," James answered, getting more dangerously angry by the second.

"There's nothing he can do?" Sirius prodded.

"No," I answered. "You can only put protective enchantments on a place, not a person…unless they're willing to walk around in a bubble-like 'protego' charm—"

"Something that I think you should continue to consider, by the way," James said, still fuming.

"Really James!" I exploded, having lost my patience, "If you hadn't gotten that note, we would have went on like normal—well, like we have for the past couple of months anyway—and I would have been fine! So let's not make a big deal out of this!"

"I just got told that you'll get bloody _attacked_ and maybe _murdered_ if I let you out of my sight, and you want me to not make a big deal out of it? Bloody hell, Lily! You're lucky I don't go down to the hospital wing right now and murder them all!"

Sirius pushed him back down into his seat. "Breathe, Prongs, we're going to make sure she's okay."

"We're always together anyway, James, we'll just make sure we're always ready for them," Remus said, trying to calm him. "You won't be doing her any good if you get thrown out of Hogwarts and then she's on her own. The note said that _your_ presence was the determining factor—"

"Yeah, mate," Sirius said, latching on to Remus's words, "Don't let yourself do anything rash."

"The only rash thing would be not protecting Lily as well as we can!"

I walked around the table to him and put both hands on his shoulders, looking right into his pretty hazel eyes.

Eyes that were currently murderous.

"James Potter. I am going to be just fine," I told him as bracingly as I could. "I _promise_."

xxxxxxx

I hope you liked it!

And, of course, a big THANK YOU goes out to all my reviewers. I love your reviews!


	19. Did Someone Put Veritaserum in Dinner?

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 19 here. I wanted to make this chapter longer, but it just wasn't right, so I left it at this length. Anyways, more crazy James –I find that either Lily or James is always going crazy nowadays—and he's under the influence of some intense emotions, and, unlike Lily, he isn't attempting to control or deny them. This makes him crazier. Ah, well, I suppose you'll see for yourselves.

A special thank you goes out to all my reviewers today since I have reached 100 reviews! So, I will now name names and recognize everyone who has gotten me to this point.

First, I would like to thank PottedLilies, BettyCrocker, and Queenie's Broken Heart, who have been with me since the beginning and reviewed every chapter. Next, I would like to thank Alice Angel, XXJamesLilyXX, GinnyWhetherby, Mask of Death, Fred-Weasley-isn't-dead, HPlove7, Bethalamus, Ellizie-3, Percabeth549, Wolfgirl111, Englishgrlverity, Zeelia, Prettypicking, Randomviewr, Pheonixtears23, , fakeXaXsmile, Purple smurfs are real, BlueRose22, Melodie Faithful (who I believe used to be Mrs. Mel Clearwater –Go Seth!), LillianJames, Prinson, Solli95, Hitchinson, Awesomly Anonymous, and CharlieShulz. Thank you all!

**Disclaimer: James Potter is still, most unfortunately, not mine, nor has he materialized to a real person who will be as sweet to me as he is to the very lucky Lily Evans.**

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"I just think that you should be more careful."

He still couldn't just let it be. "Why don't you see that we've been careful enough? Just let it be, James."

"How in the name of all of Merlin's holy body parts am I supposed to just let it be? Don't you understand, Lily?" He asked from the bed, getting visibly frustrated with me.

I climbed in next to him. "No, James, I don't understand. I don't understand how you're being so ridiculously overprotective when our method has obviously worked for the past two months—"

"And it could easily go wrong! Don't you see that I can't risk that? What would I do, Lily, if something happened to you? Have you thought of that?"

"What does it matter—"

"What does it _matter_?" He cut me off, yelling now, "Lily, I can't live without you, especially knowing that I could have prevented it! Merlin! How can you not-isn't it obvious—" He trailed off, seeming to be at a loss for words as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Isn't _what_ obvious? And if it was, would I need to ask why you're going crazy?" Merlin, isn't it _obvious_ that it's clearly _not obvious_?

"How can I let anyone hurt you when I love you so much?" He blurted.

_What?_

His eyes widened and he sputtered a bit, realizing too late what had slipped out of his mouth. He _loves_ me?

No, he can't _love_ me.

Fancy me, yes, care for me, yes, but _love me_?

No, it's too soon.

But then again, I've known that he fancied me since third year, I suppose that's long enough for him…but we've only been on three dates! Certainly he can't expect reciprocation…right?

"Umm…that's not how I meant for that to come out…" He was blushing furiously and rumpling his hair. Oh, I wish I could say it back to him, but I can't.

"James…"

"It's okay," he said quickly, already understanding my body language. "You don't have to say it back…I get it, really. I mean, I didn't even mean to scare you with it right now, honestly I didn't, and—"

He was getting more and more embarrassed and flustered, so I leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.

"James, I can't say it back…I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I understand."

"James…I really do fancy you, really, I just can't say…well, not right now."

He was looking down, avoiding my eyes. "Lily, it's okay."

Well, at least now I understand why he's reached this particular level of over-protective.

"Maybe I should go back to my own bed—"

"No!" He begged, taking my hand as I started to get up, "Please stay?"

I couldn't refuse that look in his eyes, especially as I already knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep without him. So I nodded and climbed back into his bed.

"Okay."

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"He told you what?"

I sighed. "You heard me, Alice, there's no sense in repeating it."

"Yes, I _heard_ you, but I didn't actually think…I mean, you've only been on three dates!"

"I know."

"What did you tell him?"

I was silent for a moment.

"You didn't say it back, did you?" Alice gasped.

"No, I didn't say it back. Merlin, you have no idea how much I hurt him, Alice, I wish I could have said it back, I really do."

I watched her take this information in for a minute. Then she spoke again.

"What happened when you didn't say it back?"

I hesitated, wondering if I should really tell Alice this much about how I embarrassed poor James. "He said it was okay…he said he never meant to tell me."

She heard the pain at the end. "Oh, Lily, I'm sure that's not how he meant it…"

"No, I know that's not how he meant it, but…I don't know. I just really don't know."

I wiped some tears from my cheek and suddenly she sat up straight and motioned for me to quiet down.

"What?" I whispered, watching her intently.

"I think I hear Malinda and Lacy. You don't want them knowing about this, do you?"

I wiped my tears as quickly as I could, shaking my head. She pointed her wand at my face and a second later I could feel that my eyes were no longer puffy. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," she whispered back.

A moment later, Lacy and Malinda burst into the room and collapsed onto their beds, giggling and chattering at us about their encounter with Gilderoy Lockhart on the way down to dinner in the Great Hall.

xxxxxxxxx

"Professor Dumbledore—"

"Mr. Potter, I understand your frustration, but this is the protocol for the expulsion of any Hogwarts student. I cannot change procedure simply because we know Miss Black to be guilty."

I sighed, attempting to release some anger without being overly obvious or rude. "But we have three witnesses, not to mention evidence in the form of a _victim_. Can't the school board waive the two-week time period for making a case?"

"They have to give Bellatrix time to make a defense as well, James," Lily said from behind me. "Just because we have our case doesn't mean that they have theirs ready."

I hated the fact that she was even being allowed to defend herself. She was _guilty_, plain and simple, and she had been allowed to remain at Hogwarts too long.

"She is a danger to the rest of the students."

"That she is, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore agreed from his desk, "but unfortunately our only ability to act is during her hearing. I must warn you that she will remain at Hogwarts during these two weeks preceding her hearing."

Good.

And I mean that in the most evil way possible.

I may not actually kill Bellatrix Black in those two weeks, but I will be sure to give her Hell.

"Shouldn't she be suspended for those two weeks, Professor Dumbledore?" Lily asked.

"The school rules state very clearly that one is innocent until proven guilty, Miss Evans; therefore, she will remain at Hogwarts until the hearing. And, at any rate, the school board will decide her fate, it is not in my hands."

"But why not? You are headmaster," she argued.

"Expulsion from Hogwarts includes the loss of one's wand, usually resulting in an unofficial excommunication from the wizarding world. A matter which can have such disastrous consequences cannot be left to the judgment of one individual. The entire board must deliberate."

He was too calm for my liking.

He was always too calm for my liking.

I didn't bother trying to get the anger out of him, I knew by now that he wouldn't indulge in it. Instead I just took a seat in the armchair next to Lily's.

"So all we can do is present our case?" I asked.

"Yes, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore answered, weariness in his voice, "All that we can officially do is present our case."

I looked at Lily, silently asking if she was ready to go.

"Thank you, Professor," Lily said, taking my hint and getting up. "We will see you at dinner."

"Oh, I'm afraid not, Miss Evans, I have other matters to attend to tonight. But enjoy your meal, both of you," he answered, nodding to us.

What other matters?

Lily and I made our way out of his study and down to the Great Hall, where I saw the boys and Alice waiting for us.

"What did he say?" Alice asked, trying to be nonchalant about the issue so as not to draw anyone's attention.

"He said exactly what we already knew," Lily answered her. "There's nothing we can do other than wait for her hearing.

"Oh no," I said, giving her an evil grin and turning to the boys. "He said that there's nothing _official_ that we can do. But I intend to be sure that Bellatrix can't hurt anyone for the next few weeks, despite the fact that she'll be allowed to stay at Hogwarts."

"Oh?" Sirius and Remus said together. I even got Peter's interest away from his turkey leg for a minute.

"She won't be getting anywhere near any muggle-borns for these next couple of weeks, and then hopefully we'll be rid of her."

And she most definitely won't be getting anywhere near Lily.

xxxxxxxxxx

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

"No, but you really _can't_ be serious."

"Are you going to tell Lily?"

"I'm not sure yet. I mean, I suppose she'll figure it out. Not the details, of course, but she'll know that I did it."

"Good Merlin," Remus burst out, "Only James Potter would _actually_ fly Bellatrix Black out of the country to keep her away from muggle-borns."

"On an invisible horse, mind you," Sirius added.

"Thestrals are only invisible if you haven't seen death," I defended myself.

"Yes, but you're hoping that she can't see it so that she'll be more terrified," Remus reminded me.

"Well, yeah…I suppose I am…"

"No one's blaming you, mate," Sirius said, noticing me turning a bit red. "She deserves to feel some of the terror that she's inspired in others. I just don't really understand how this whole plan is going to work."

"How are you going to get her back here for the hearing?" Peter asked, dumbfounded by the whole idea.

"Dumbledore said that if she 'was not in attendance at the hearing, it would negatively influence the board's decision,'" I told them, a smile starting to play around my lips.

Sirius grinned. "Excellent."

"_Thestrals_?" Remus said again, as if he wasn't sure he heard me correctly, "What made you think of _thestrals_?"

"Well, they're very gentle creatures—"

"I give you permission to use something more vicious," Sirius cut me off, visibly disgruntled at my choice to avoid unnecessary violence.

"Sirius, I would love to have your cousin mauled by a dangerous beast, but it would sort of defeat the purpose, mate," I reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he muttered grudgingly. "And could you stop reminding me that we're related?"

"Where's the thestral going to leave her?" Remus asked. From his blasé tone, I might have thought that he was asking about tomorrow's weather.

"I have no idea," I told him. Sirius perked up at that. "Wherever it decides to stop and have a rest, I suppose. And she can find her way back home from there."

We all fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments until something seemed to occur to Sirius.

"Prongs, where's Lily?"

"Oh, she's having a bath."

Sirius laughed. "She wouldn't let you watch, then? You know, so that you could _guard _her like you have been?"

I threw an ink bottle at him, which he neatly caught and set back onto the table. "Actually, she'll be out soon. So we need to stop talking about these plans."

"Right, then, how bout this…how on Merlin's green earth could you tell a girl you love her after just three dates?" Sirius asked.

Remus just rolled his eyes and pulled a book out of his rucksack.

"Well it's not like I did it on purpose, Sirius, and when she does come back in here I'd rather not be talking about that, either."

He laughed. "You're the one that put your foot in your mouth, mate, I'm just trying to help you get it out."

I sighed. He was right, like he usually was when it came to girls.

Just then, Lily came out of our bathroom in her bathrobe. I was a bit annoyed that she wasn't even embarrassed at the boys being there. Although I suppose it's my fault that she's so used to them now. I hardly ever give her a moment to herself anymore.

"Hello, boys, what are you talking about?"

"James was just talking about sending Bellatrix away on an invisible horse," Peter told her.

I groaned and shook my head.

"Wormtail, you dolt!" Sirius told him, "You were supposed to keep your mouth shut!"

"Sorry, I couldn't think of anything else since James didn't want her to know that we were talking about when he told her he loved her."

I groaned again and banged my forehead on the table.

That boy needs to learn to keep his mouth shut.

xxxxxxxxxx

I hope you all liked it!

Like I said before, this was a short chapter. It would have been up before, but I was trying to make it longer and it just really shouldn't be longer. It should end here. So I've given up trying to make it longer and I'm ending it where it ends naturally.

On another note, another big **THANK YOU** goes out to all my reviewers, who have gotten me to a hundred reviews! That means a lot to me, especially as this is my very first fanfic. Lol, so you got a thank you at the beginning and end this time.


	20. Bye Bye Bella

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 20 here. First of all, I'm very excited that you have all been so wonderfully encouraging and that I am now at chapter 20. That is really fantastic of you. Second, I'm sorry the update took so long, college has started up again so there is less time. But this chapter seems to focus a bit more on Lily, just in forewarning. The James parts are more of a Marauder-group than just James thinking. I think we all already understand the almost painful need he's feeling to protect Lily, so I didn't feel the need to talk about it too much this chapter.

Thank you to all my reviewers, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

xxxxxxx

Why does that boy have to be so incredibly gorgeous?

I was sitting there, honestly trying to concentrate on what Sirius was saying, but then James took my hand under the table and I nearly sang in delight.

I really hate that he has that effect on me.

But, all the same, he has the effect and I'm going to enjoy it.

"So, basically what we've come up with is that we'll need to make sure that Bellatrix is completely knocked out before we secure her to the thestral—"

"How, exactly, are you planning on 'securing her to the thestral,' Padfoot," Remus asked. Even through the haze that James was creating in my mind, I got the distinct impression that Remus was trying very hard to hide his amusement.

"We'll tie her to it, of course," Sirius answered without batting an eye.

_Tie_ her to it? But that's barabaric—oh, now he's started rubbing circles into the back of my hand…that feels a lot nicer than it should, really…

"Tie her facing down, then," Alice was saying, a distinct bite in her voice.

"Why?" Sirius asked, "I wanted her facing up so that she wouldn't know what the bloody hell was going on."

Alice shook her head. "If you tie her facing up then she'll be able to pretend she's just drifting in a dream or something. Tie her facing down and she'll be forced to look through the thestral to see the earth so far beneath her-much more terrifying."

Hmm…I didn't know that Alice had a sort of cruel side…Oh, Merlin, now his other hand is on the small of my back…No! I'm not going to let him distract me so much…oh, what's the point? I'm just not going to be able to concentrate with him around, plain and simple.

Sirius nodded at Alice. "I like the way you think, Prewett, that will definitely be scarier. But I'm not sure whether or not she'll be able to see the thestral, and if she can then that will make it less scary because it will block the view."

"Well, how can we find out then?" Remus asked, "For that matter, how can we be sure that she'll be asleep long enough for us to tie her to the back of a thestral and launch her into a tour of Europe?"

I giggled slightly at that, but I couldn't help myself because James's touch was making me rather giddy. I think I kept forgetting to breathe.

"Lily!" Sirius said, turning to me in sudden inspiration, "Miss Lily, you could brew a sleeping potion, couldn't you?"

I managed to think enough to answer with a nod.

"Good," Remus said, "so now the matter of telling whether she'll be able to see the thestral…"

Ugh! I just want them all to leave so I can push James onto the couch and snog him senseless! How much longer are they going to take?

And he is not helping by rubbing my back right now.

Not helping at _all_.

"I suppose we don't have any real way of knowing if she can see it," Sirius was saying, "We'll just have to hope that she can't."

Why isn't James talking? I want to hear his voice!

Okay, so I know that was a little whiney, but still, I do really want to hear that incredibly sexy voice of his.

Not as much as I want to snog him.

I would definitely tell him to shut up if I could snog him.

I snuck a peek at him and smiled when I found him looking back at me.

He grinned and I forgot to breathe again.

They talked _forever_, and I wasn't even trying to pay attention anymore until Sirius said my name.

"Alright, time to leave the Head Boy and Girl to themselves, everyone, Lily has been wanting to snog James for the past two hours," Sirius announced, getting up to go to the door.

"What?" I said, startled into awareness, "Sirius Black, I know you can't read my mind!"

He just grinned. "Didn't have to, Miss Lily. Just look at the boy, I'm sure even Alice wants to snog him…actually, no, Alice would rather be snogging Frank, no offense, James."

Alice and I were both red by the end of this little speech.

Remus sighed. "How is it that you know exactly how to make _any_ girl blush, Padfoot?"

"It's a gift." Sirius shrugged and grinned wider. "Who am I not to use the talents Merlin has so generously bestowed upon me?"

"Alright, good for you, Padfoot, now _get out_," Remus told him, pushing him out the door. Peter and Alice followed quickly.

James turned to me.

"So he read your mind, huh?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

"No talking for at least an hour," I told him, pushing him back toward the couch.

"What happens after the hour is up?" James asked, already laying back and pulling me down with him.

"I'll consider giving you a break for a few minutes," I told him, helping him put a couple of pillows behind his back.

"Sounds good to me," he said, grinning happily.

I took his face in both hands and thought of nothing but kissing that beautiful smile of his.

xxxxxxxxx

I woke to the smell of waffles this morning.

I have no idea why, considering the fact that we don't actually have a waffle maker.

Well, it doesn't really matter, I do love waffles.

I wonder if James knows that…probably not. Whenever we were in the Great Hall for food he and Sirius were always much too busy shoving food into their own mouths to notice anything else.

I didn't want to get out of James's bed, I loved being surrounded by his scent, after all, but the waffles were calling me. So after a few more minutes of inhaling the scent on his pillow I got up and wandered into the kitchen.

James was whistling.

_Whistling_.

"What are you so happy about?" I asked, taking a seat at the table.

He turned and grinned at the sound of my voice.

Good.

Nice to know that I'm not the only one going crazy over a sexy voice.

Although I wouldn't call my own voice sexy, but I suppose that's normal.

_His_ voice is certainly sexy, it's so deep and soft at the same time, and it—

I didn't realize that he was moving closer until his lips were actually on mine. My lips parted in surprise, and he slipped his tongue in.

Oh Merlin, I wouldn't have fought him all those years if I knew that kissing him would feel like…_this_.

My arms wrapped around his shoulders and tried vainly to hold him when he started to pull away, but he was much too strong for me.

"Stop tempting me, love, or your waffles will get burned," he said with mock seriousness.

Reluctantly, I let him pull completely out of my arms and he went off to the stove.

"Maybe I like them burnt," I argued as I crossed my arms.

"You do not. You like them just a little bit crispy."

"You know way too much about me, James Potter."

He came back to the table with a full plate and grinned. "I'm allowed now! I'm your boyfriend, remember?"

I couldn't resist the sparkle of happiness in his eyes when he said _I'm your boyfriend_, so I leaned over and kissed him again.

"Where did we get a waffle maker, anyway?" I asked, already shoving syrupy waffles into my mouth.

"I transfigured the saucepan, I'll change it back later," he answered, wiping a bit of extra syrup from the corner of my mouth.

"Thanks," I muttered, coming to my senses and blushing at how I had tucked in so messily. Desperate to get past that embarrassment, I asked another question. "So what's the occasion?"

"We have to get you fed properly today. You have to make a perfect sleeping potion so that we can drug Bellatrix with it. Although, personally, I wouldn't mind if you made it a bit too strong and she never woke up again, but I'm sure Dumbledore would be disappointed in us for that," he said. Then I heard him mutter under his breath, "She deserves it though."

"Slughorn would be disappointed too, if he ever found out that I made a _mistake_ like that," I joked, trying to wipe the suddenly murderous expression off his face. "That man's convinced that I can make sunlight come out of my very being!"

It had the intended effect. James was giving me a playful smile and then gasped. "I thought you _could_ do that, can't you?"

I nudged him playfully in the side and was just about to finish my breakfast when the whole troupe walked into our sitting room.

"Miss Lily!" Sirius called as he pulled Alice through the door, "Is James feeding you properly? You have to have all your wits about you today, you know."

It just hit me that I am actually friends with Sirius Black.

And he is actually a _really_ good guy.

"Yes, darling Padfoot, James is feeding me properly," I answered, matching his joking tone.

Sirius stopped in the middle of his stride, nearly falling over.

"She called me 'Darling Padfoot!' Did you hear her, James, she called me 'Darling Padfoot!'" Then he rushed over and scooped me up faster than I could get another bite into my mouth and twirled me around the room.

"Merlin, Sirius, I'll take it back if you don't let me finish my waffles!"

He grinned, carried me back to my chair, and planted a kiss on my forehead before turning to James and saying, "Your girlfriend _likes_ me now, Prongs, she called me 'Darling Padfoot.'"

James grinned. "I heard, Darling Padfoot, now why don't you take a seat until you can handle the excitement?"

Sirius grinned and plopped down next to James, summoning a butterbeer from the cupboard as he settled down.

"Butterbeer at breakfast?" I asked critically.

"It calms me when I'm excited, Miss Lily, I don't much care what time it is," he answered with a smile.

"What's to be so excited about?" Really, I just called him by the same nickname that his best friends have used for years, what's so exciting about that?

"Miss Lily," he said, seeming as though he was explaining something very obvious, "The love of my best friend's life actually _likes_ me. This is cause for celebration!" He summoned more butterbeers and had them zooming to everyone in the room. "To James and Lily!"

Well, I couldn't refuse after his explanation, so I raised my bottle to his and gave him a smile.

It was about a half hour later that everyone remembered business.

"So what ingredients do you need for this potion, Lily?"

"Mostly things that I already have," I answered, thinking through a mental list. "I'll still need some tentacula leaves though, and we'll have to get those off of Professor Sprout somehow."

"Why?" Remus asked, "Can't you get them from Slughorn?"

I shook my head. "I need them fresh to know exactly how long the potion will last."

Alice groaned, "Why is it that the essential ingredient is always the one that's hard to get?"

"Don't worry, Prewett, I can get it off Sprout," Sirius said. Then he turned to me, an idea lighting his eyes, "But Miss Lily has to call me 'Darling Padfoot' again."

I groaned.

I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?

Although, it is really sweet, in a Sirius Black kind of way.

xxxxxxxxx

"Alright, so you distract Sprout while I go knick the tentacula," Sirius whispered.

"Absolutely not, Padfoot," Remus answered, "I already snogged Rosmerta for you, I'm not about to flirt with a professor who's twice my age."

"She's barely ten years older than us, Moony, relax. Besides, you need the practice," Sirius argued.

"I do not. Wormtail does."

"Hey!"

"Wormtail isn't as good at distracting people."

"You just proved my point."

"HEY! I'm standing right _here_!"

"Oh, come _on_, Moony! Sprout likes you!" Sirius continued, paying no attention to Peter.

"She might like you too if you actually paid attention in class every now and then."

"Please, Moony? You're the only one that can get her distracted enough," Sirius begged, putting on his big, puppy eyes.

Remus turned to me, pleading. "Back me up here, Prongs?"

"Sorry, Moony, I can't be flirting with teachers, I've got a girlfriend now," I answered, grinning at his glare.

"Fine. I'll do it. But I am _never_ distracting a female for you three ever again!" He snapped, stomping off in the direction of Sprout's office.

"Alright, off around to greenhouse three, I think," Sirius whispered when Remus was out of sight. We all slipped around another corner and into the greenhouse. Sirius took a small sack and a pair of tweezers that were hanging on the wall and headed straight for the tentacula in the far corner of the room.

Trust Sirius to know exactly where all the most dangerous plants are.

And exactly how to handle them.

He was already expertly plucking the twitching leaves and placing them into his sack before he thought to ask, "How many do you think she'll need, Prongs?"

"She told me three and a quarter."

"Six it is, then," Sirius said, plucking one final leaf and turning away from the plant carefully. He motioned for us to follow him back out, giving the tentacula a wide berth, and replaced the tweezers before slipping out the door.

I took the bag from Sirius. "I'll take these back up to Lily, you go rescue Moony."

"Why do I have to?" Sirius pouted, "Moony needs to learn how to handle all the girls that throw themselves at him!"

I shook my head, grinning. "If he hasn't learned yet, Padfoot, do you really think he's going to learn _now_? Just go get him before he hates you forever."

I headed back up to the castle with the sack of leaves, nearly skipping with happiness at the hell we were going to give Bellatrix, when I accidentally ran into Professor McGonagall.

"You look far too happy, Mr. Potter," she said severely, but then her voice dropped dramatically so that I was straining to hear, "Especially as we have Bellatrix Black roaming the castle freely and the Slytherin boys are to be released from the hospital wing in just a few days."

My eyes widened. "A few more days?"

She nodded. When she spoke again he voice had returned to its normal volume. "Now go on back to your dormitory, Mr. Potter, being Head Boy can only excuse you so many times."

I nodded swiftly and hurried back.

xxxxxxxxxxx

"Alice, is she in there yet?" I murmured into my wand, glancing around the entrance hall from my hiding place.

"No," came the soft answer, "I don't see her anywhere."

James peered over my shoulder, making me more aware of his chest pressed into my back.

No, Lily, _focus_.

"Okay, it's still early, we definitely haven't missed her," James whispered into my ear, craning his neck to look around.

"I hope not. How else are we going to grab her when she comes out?"

"Remus can always get her, even from her common room," James reminded me.

"Right, right," I said, wondering if Alice had managed to get the sleeping draught into Bellatrix's drink.

Of course she didn't. Bellatrix isn't even there yet, how could she know which drink to put it in? But I'm sure she got a few other people. The plan was to make it look like several Slytherins had just dropped off to sleep today so that when people looked back on it they wouldn't think anything of it. This way they would assume that the Slytherins ate something that did it.

I was opposed to that idea at first, because of the poor houselves, but Remus convinced me that Dumbledore would make sure they didn't punish themselves.

I have to give the boys credit. They really do know how to cover their tracks. I mean, I used to think that I was catching them, but now I realize that they probably meant to be caught.

I nearly jumped when I finally saw her.

"She just walked in, Alice," I started before James took my wand from me.

"Maybe you should let Sirius do it, Alice."

"Why?" She murmured back through my wand.

"Well, everyone would assume that he was going over there to yell at her, it would look normal, but you'd have no reason to go over there. It'd look suspicious," he said, leaning over my shoulder.

I tracked her progress across the entrance hall as James quietly added, "And I'm sure he would love to poison her."

I laughed at that without thinking. Good thing we cast a silencing charm before we started our stake out.

"Okay, Sirius likes that idea," Alice's voice informed us. "_Try_ to be calm, Sirius," was all I heard before the voice died out.

Oh, Sirius, please don't ruin this by loosing your temper with her.

I started biting my nails out of nervousness. James noticed and took my hand away from my mouth, stroking my cheek. It's amazing how he can calm me down so easily, especially as he's just as good at riling me up.

"Don't worry," he murmured softly into my ear, "He would much rather get rid of her than make a scene at dinner."

I nodded. Of course, what was I thinking?

After ten minutes, finally Alice spoke again. "Okay, he's done it and he's come back. Expect her soon."

"Twenty minutes until the potion takes effect, right?" James asked.

"Yes," I said, "We'll just wait until her mates decide to take her to the hospital wing."

"Okay," James said, slipping his strong arms around my waist. "Any ideas to pass the time?"

_Yes_.

"Not here, James," I said, but there was no strength in my voice.

"Okay," he murmured slyly as he started kissing my neck softly.

I wasn't really paying attention to anything besides him when my wand started talking again.

Damn Alice.

"She's leaving with her mates. She's a little wobbly."

James arms tightened around me. Bellatrix wasn't the only girl that was a little wobbly. I opened the door just a crack more and watched them go up the stairs slowly, concern etched on her friends' faces.

They almost looked human, walking like that.

And then I remembered that anyone who ended up in the hospital wing because of Bellatrix wasn't even able to walk there, and the sympathy passed.

"Alright," I whispered into my wand, "They've gone up and we're about to follow. We'll let you know when her friends have left her alone."

James threw the invisibility cloak over us and we silently hurried up to the hospital wing to talk to Madam Pomfrey.

xxxxxxxxx

"When will they get here?" Madam Pomfrey asked us quietly.

"They were already on their way up when Lily and I followed," I told her, "But just don't let her mates stay. We need Bellatrix asleep."

"Mr. Potter! Now, while I understand that this is _Bellatrix Black_," she shuddered as she said the name, "I thought you wouldn't stoop to her level. Attacking someone after you've put them to sleep? Unacceptable!"

"Madam Pomfrey," Lily interjected before I could defend myself, "We're not attacking her! We're sending her on vacation, actually, after all, attacking muggle-borns must be exhausting…"

I knew it wasn't funny, but I couldn't help sniggering at that. But before Lily could turn a glare on me, there were shouts in the next room.

"Madam Pomfrey! She's fallen ill!" came the high-pitched voice of Narcissa Black. Madam Pomfrey hurried out of her office to play her part. Lily and I hung back, waiting for Narcissa and the others to leave.

"No doubt something she ate at dinner," one of the other girls was saying. I didn't recognize her voice.

"Those houselves will pay for this, mark my words," Narcissa said spitefully.

I felt Lily cringe beside me so I wrapped an arm around her. "Don't worry, Dumbledore will make sure they're alright…Narcissa couldn't touch them if she tried."

Lily nodded, not looking entirely convinced.

Maybe we should do something to Narcissa too, just to show her that she isn't above the whole world. After all, the Marauders have to pull a prank soon, otherwise people will start realizing that we've been doing these things to the Slytherins.

And Narcissa Black would be a perfect target.

I waited silently with Lily until Madam Pomfrey came back into the office.

"They've gone."

Lily and I rushed out to get her.

"Play nice!" Pomfrey called after us, very pointedly shutting her office door.

xxxxxxxxx

"Okay," Lily said into her wand, "We've got her and we're heading out onto the grounds. Meet us out there."

She disillusioned herself and I carried Bellatrix under my cloak.

Another reason to hate Bellatrix—She forced me to be closer to her than Lily.

Our progress was slow on account of the cloak. I had to stop every few feet to keep it from slipping off. Lily finally got annoyed and put a disillusionment charm on us, too. Then I shoved my cloak into my pocket and we hurried out the door onto the grounds.

We were a few feet into the Forbidden Forest before Lily spoke.

"Should we disillusion ourselves?"

"I don't know," I said, genuinely unsure. "It might be safer if we're hidden from all the stuff in here."

I didn't have to see her shudder to know that she did.

"Don't worry," I reassured her, "I'm right here."

"So are we," came Sirius's voice.

I turned and saw Sirius come out of a particularly thick clump of trees and bushes with Remus, Peter, and Alice behind him, leading a thestral by a long rope.

"Alright," I said to Lily, "I suppose this is a good time to disillusion ourselves, then."

Seconds later Sirius grinned at me. "Nice to see you again, mate."

"Help me with this, will you?" I asked as I hoisted Bellatrix up, trying to get her high enough to sit on the thestral.

"I think Alice wanted to tie her up, first," Remus said, nodding at the girl in question.

"I would like nothing more," Alice said, coming forward with a long rope looped about her tiny arm. "Put her down, James, so I can get her easier."

I did as I was told. I swear, Alice can be just as frighteningly serious as Lily sometimes.

She bound her hands and feet, rolling Bellatrix in the dirt for no reason that I could understand, before she decided that we could put her onto the thestral. So Sirius and Remus hoisted her up as Peter and I tossed rope back and forth to each other, securing her to the thestral. I don't know how Peter did it, actually, because I know that he can't see thestrals.

Finally she was completely secure, so we tried to urge the thestral into flight.

But it wouldn't go.

Sirius tried slapping it on the rear, thinking that it might take the hint, but it stayed put, contentedly grazing the sparse grass.

"Oh, come _on_," Lily moaned, "We did not do all this work just so that the thing wouldn't _fly_ when it was time!"

I laughed, then had an idea.

"Girls, why don't you go with Moony back to the castle?" I said softly.

"Why?" They both asked suspiciously.

"Don't worry girls!" Sirius exclaimed, taking Remus's place and ushering them away from us, "You get to spend some quality time with _me_!"

Lily managed to suppress her groan, but Alice didn't even try. Regardless, Sirius wasn't giving them a choice. I laughed as I realized that he could pick them both up and walk away if he really wanted to.

They didn't make him do that. They went willingly, but not before shooting me furtive glances.

"Okay, I think they're gone," Remus said after a moment.

With a soft pop, I felt the familiar moment of suspension and the next second, I was my stag. I approached the thestral cautiously and neighed, tossing my antlers to send the message.

It ignored me, continuing to munch on the grass.

I tried again, prodding it gently this time.

It neighed back indignantly and moved, bit still refused to take flight.

Irked, I finally goaded its hind quarters with my antlers and it got the message this time. Neighing indignantly, it flapped its leathery wings and took off.

I turned back to my human form and the three of us watched as it flew to the horizon, finally disappearing into the now setting sun.

"Alright," Remus started, clapping Peter and me on the back, "Time for a round of butterbeers?"

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I hope you liked it!

Sorry for the long wait, school has started up again and I'm going to have less time. But I promise you that the updates will keep coming. Just stick with me. I would like to point out that this is the longest chapter yet, so I hope that is some compensation.

And, of course, **THANKYOU** to all my reviewers! Reviews are wonderful things and I love reading your input.


	21. Turkey, Anyone?

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 21 here! This is just the continuation of their world and their experiences. Just in forewarning, we do get a bit of Sirius Black's perspective in this chapter. If you don't understand why, that makes two of us. He talked to me and I wrote about it because he's my favorite character. But it does go with the story line so don't get too antsy about it. Also, there's a lot of people just thinking in this chapter, which is a bit harder to follow than dialogue, but I think it still works.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I really love them!

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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"James?"

I turned to the sound of her voice and found her lingering in the kitchen, looking unsure. She walked over and sat with me on the couch.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her, pulling her into my arms.

I love that I get to do that now.

"No, no…I just wanted to ask…could you see the thestral?"

Oh.

Okay, this isn't so bad at all.

"Yes," I answered softly, looking deep into her eyes to see how she analyzed this. I could tell she wasn't going to ask the question that was burning in her eyes, so I sighed and volunteered the information.

"I was seven," her eyes widened slightly at this number, "And I was at my Uncle Edward's birthday party…it wasn't very eventful or traumatizing, really. He was a hundred and fifty-three and, well, I guess his birthday was as good a day as any."

I watched her take this in and her reaction was rather surprising. There were tears in her beautiful green eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured as I helped wipe the tears away.

"What for?" I asked, barely containing a laugh. "It wasn't your fault, love."

I held her for a while, wondering why she was so upset by my story.

And then I realized.

"Lily? Why can _you_ see them?"

She stiffened.

Damn, I was right.

What had she been forced to see?

I waited, almost painfully, but I knew that she didn't want to tell me.

"It's okay," I finally murmured softly into her hair. "You don't have to say, sweetheart, just relax."

And it took her a few minutes, but she finally did relax in my arms and melt against my chest.

"Thank you," she mumbled softly.

I pulled her closer. "Anytime."

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"They haven't been to classes in ages, we've had them trapped and sick…maybe we should let them be for a week or something, before it becomes too obvious, you know?" Remus was saying, unsure of the reception even as he voiced his opinion.

I shook my head and started to answer, but Alice beat me to it.

"And give them that week to attack someone? Not on my watch."

Sirius immediately agreed. "She's right, they know that they haven't done anything for ages. They'll be itching to get someone as soon as they get out of the hospital wing…"

My eyes snapped to Lily. How much more would they want her now?

She felt my gaze and turned to me. I'm sure I looked as sick as I felt, because she gave me a reassuring smile and started rubbing the back of my hand, trying to soothe me.

It usually works, but right now all I can think about is that she might not be around to soothe me that way if I'm not obsessively careful with her safety.

Well, number one, we should definitely change the password to our dorm, _today_. It's been the same for the past two months and anyone could have heard it by now.

Two, we'll be going back to the obsessiveness of never letting her out of my sight, although I think that should be much easier to manage now with our new relationship situation.

I'll have to think of some more precautions as well. I refuse to take _any_ chances.

"Look," Remus said, exasperated, "I'm just saying that I don't want all the Slytherin parents marching into Hogwarts and demanding that Dumbledore be replaced because he can't care for their children properly. Do you really think they haven't noticed that they're the constant targets of all our little plots?"

"You're right, Remus," I admitted, "but we can't just let them go free to do whatever they want."

"That's not what I'm suggesting. I think we should keep them under surveillance so that we can get them before they hurt anyone."

Sirius started but was quickly cut-off, "I don't like that idea—"

"He's right, we have to do it like that," Lily said, nodding to Remus. "We can't get Dumbledore in trouble."

"How are we supposed to watch them with just the six of us?" Alice asked, "There's nearly _twelve_ of them!"

"Two to one, Alice is right," Sirius admitted, "We need a better strategy."

"We can beat them in a fight, easy," I said, thinking out loud, "but we can't all follow them around _all_ day…"

"Well, obviously, we'll have to take shifts," Remus said, brow furrowed in thought. "At least two at a time, we can't be going alone—"

"That would be crazy!" Sirius nearly yelled.

"I know! I know…but we've only got the six of us, and honestly even two at a time won't be good enough when they start something…" Remus said, trying to think it through.

"Who do we trust?" Lily asked.

We all turned to her questioningly.

"We need more people. Who do we trust?" She repeated.

All the people that I trust are sitting in this room.

"Frank is definitely trustworthy," Alice said.

"Agreed," Sirius added, "And so is Marlene McKinnon. I'll talk to her."

"McKinnon's a sixth year," Peter objected.

Sirius shook his head. "She the top of her year, Peter, even better than some of the seventh years, honestly. She can handle herself."

I shook my head. "Too bad you're the youngest, Alice, your brothers and sisters would have been a great help."

"I know," she said, scowling, "But they've already moved on to bigger and better things…working for Dumbledore, they said…"

Lily snorted. "Sounds familiar. At least we're in good company, then."

"Well, we're up to eight," Remus said, "Anyone else that we can _absolutely_ trust?"

"I can't think of anyone," I admitted, hoping for sudden inspiration anyway.

"Me either," Sirius said, scowling.

"Well, at least we can have three at a time on patrols now," Lily reasoned, "And that would be a reasonable match in a duel. Everyone in this room could take on three Slytherins at once."

"That's because those gits think that being pureblood automatically makes them better wizards, and they don't need to study as hard as everyone else—"

"Breathe, Sirius."

"Right, well…that is the reason, anyway," he mumbled as he tried to control the anger flashing in his eyes.

"After I break it to Frank, I'll ask him to talk to any of his roommates that he thinks are trustworthy. They're Hufflepuffs, after all, 'loyal and true' has to count for _something_."

"Good idea, but don't let him talk to anyone until we talk about who he thinks is trustworthy," Lily told Alice. "Hufflepuffs are loyal but that also makes them a little _too_ trusting in others…"

"Absolutely," Alice agreed without batting an eye. "We'll all have to talk about it first."

"Well that might give us one or two more." Remus had pulled a parchment and quill from somewhere and was writing things down. "What about the Ravenclaws?"

"I really only trust McKinnon," Sirius said, frowning as he thought about it.

"I agree," Lily said, nodding, "Marlene's trustworthy, but I don't know about any of the others…You could talk to her about it too, though, see what she thinks of her friends."

"Yeah, we'll see how that goes," Sirius said, still frowning.

I looked at Lily. "Any of the sixth year Gryffindors that you think are up for it?"

She thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. But either way, it's better not to just add people for the sake of numbers alone."

"True," Remus said, looking up from his parchment. "We need to be absolutely certain that they are trustworthy. It will ruin the whole thing if we let the wrong person in on the game."

I nodded, "You're right. We'll have to reconsider after dinner then."

Everyone agreed and we all headed down to the Great Hall.

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Narcissa Black.

Almost as horrible as her sister.

Actually, I'm not sure which I loathe more: Bellatrix for being openly malicious, or Narcissa for being covertly so.

Either way, I was sitting at the Gryffindor table and making an honest attempt to keep from glaring a hole into Narcissa's head, but I couldn't help myself. Especially as James had promised me that the Marauders would play an open prank on her soon. It was good for the whole Slytherin plot, as it would throw suspicion off of the Marauders if they were seen to take credit for a prank targeting another Slytherin.

Honestly, I think most of the school knows that it's James and the boys pranking the Slytherin seventh years, but everyone is going to keep their secret. That's because the news of the poor muggle-borns injuries were somehow leaked and the list seemed to have multiplied by word of mouth. Although, really, all three had been within inches of death so the exaggerations weren't so far from the mark.

I wanted to get Narcissa though.

I mean I _really_ wanted to.

I don't care that she's a year behind me in school, after all, I'm sure her lovely _Bella_ has taught her some nasty magic tricks. I wouldn't feel bad at all about teaching her a bit of a lesson.

I don't know what made me do it.

It was foolish really, with so many people around who could have seen me.

I was lucky. No one saw except Sirius and Peter, and they weren't going to tell anyone.

But before I even thought it through, an entire turkey rose from the Slytherin table in front of Narcissa and landed on her head.

It only took about ten seconds for half of the Great Hall to see it and burst into laughter. Soon the entire hall was in hysterics. I saw a few people rolling around on the ground, clutching their sides in mirth.

I couldn't help myself, so I joined in.

Tempting as it was, I didn't put a permanent sticking charm on the turkey. It had sunk down to her neck from the force of the fall, so that her head was now securely trapped inside the body of a twenty-pound turkey.

At least it was a good-looking turkey. Nicely browned and all.

Sirius seemed to agree with me. "Thank you, Miss Lily, on behalf of my cousin. She's much prettier now."

I grinned.

"Maybe she'll eat her way out," Peter commented as a few of her friends tried, unsuccessfully, to pull the turkey off her head.

I couldn't help bursting into another round of laughter at that idea. Actually, if I do put a permanent sticking charm on it the only way that she can get it off is by eating her way out…

Yeah, I'm doing it.

I cast the charm and turned back to my dinner, waiting for them to realize the solution to their problem

"Dumbledore seems to be curiously absent from his place at the table," Remus remarked, smirking at Narcissa.

James's grin stretched from ear to ear. "That is a shame. I'm sure he would have been able to assist her."

I couldn't hide my smile. "Oh, everyone here could assist her, really, but I doubt they will."

They all looked at me curiously.

I shrugged. "Peter had a good idea."

Sirius burst into another round of laughter before he managed to gasp, "You're going to make her _eat_ her way out?"

I smiled sweetly.

"I love you, Lily," Sirius said, trying to hold back more laughter. "Prongs, you have fantastic taste in women."

James grinned again. "I've been trying to tell you that for years, mate."

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The library.

Always the best place to go to find a girl.

Well, that makes it sound like I look for just any girl, but I don't. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not actually a womanizer. But it's so much easier to get girls to do what you want when they think you'll snog them afterward.

But today, I'm looking for a certain girl.

She also thinks I'm a womanizer. Once again, I am not.

But I am definitely a ladies' man.

If you don't know the difference, watch me and learn.

See, a womanizer shags every willing female he can get his hands on. A ladies' man can keep it in his pants. And while I have snogged my fair share of girls, I do know how to keep it in my pants.

But enough about that for now. I've spotted her.

She didn't look up, but I know she noticed me as I made my way over to her table, so I gave her a slow, sexy smile. She started to blush though I knew she didn't want to.

She was alone at her table.

Oh she's practically _begging_ for this.

I slipped into the seat next to her.

"So, McKinnon, how's the essay coming along?"

"It was going just fine until you decided to distract me, Black. Do you mind?" She still hadn't looked up, probably because she knew what would happen if she did.

I slipped a finger under her chin and tilted her face toward me, making her look into my eyes. "Not at all. What are you doing later?"

"I have to…" She trailed off, distracted when I started brushing her hair away from her face. "Um…I have to…Oh will you bloody stop that, Black!"

I smiled for her and heard her sharp intake of breath.

Then she growled at me. "I'm serious, Black. Stop it."

I moved a little closer, just enough to kiss her if I wanted to, and started caressing her cheek gently. Her breath quickened. Oh, she was walking right into this. "Are you sure that's what you want?" I asked her in little more than a whisper.

"Yes," she answered, but it came out like a sigh.

Yeah, she wants me.

"Alright, I'll go then," I told her as I stopped caressing her cheek.

"What?" She asked, confused.

I started to walk away and called over my shoulder, "Let me know how that essay goes, yeah?"

I disappeared before she had a chance to answer.

xxxxxxx

I spotted her sitting in our common room with Alice and Lily. They looked like they were having a very serious discussion about something. What could they be talking about? Surely nothing is as serious as our issues with the Slytherins, and Alice and Lily wouldn't be gossiping about that. Marlene doesn't know about it yet.

So what could have them so worried?

No matter.

She'll tell me anything I want to know soon enough.

She got up from the couch about half an hour after I sat down with James. I could tell she had been stewing the whole time.

"That was cruel," she announced when she reached us.

James took one look at her face and thought it best to get away. He got up muttering something about seeing Lily.

Good old James. I can always count on him to know when I need to be alone with a girl.

"Marlene! So how did the essay go?"

"You know what you did."

It would be interesting, for once, if a girl _didn't_ react exactly way I expected her to. Actually, I think that's what drew James to Lily, come to think of it.

"I did exactly what you asked me to, McKinnon, I don't know how that's cruel."

She crossed her arms in the most futile show of defiance I had ever seen. Didn't she realize that she was already mine?

I grinned, making her angrier. When she spoke, her tone was biting.

"Isn't this the point where you offer to take me upstairs with you? Or do I only merit a broom cupboard?"

"Who told you we were already at that point?" I asked conversationally. I suppose I should feel bad for playing with her like this.

Too bad I don't.

She'll be mine soon, anyway, and all will be forgiven.

"Pretty much every girl at Hogwarts, you smooth git."

"I hate to break it to you, McKinnon, but none of those girls would actually know. But, if the script really does go the way you say it does, then I'm breaking from it." I smiled again at her shocked expression.

She really does make me smile quite a lot doesn't she? Genuine smiles too, smiles that are usually reserved for the Marauders. I suppose that's just as important as being unpredictable.

"You can't _break_ from it! You're Sirius Black!"

I couldn't help laughing. "I can break from it. I'm doing it right now."

The deep red that had spread over her face made her look a bit like a lobster.

Well, a very pretty lobster.

"I hate you Sirius Black."

"Say it again, McKinnon. I love hearing my name on your luscious lips."

She turned to storm off but I caught her arm and stood to whisper in her ear.

"Oh, and Marlene? You definitely deserve better than a broom cupboard. I would never _dream_ of taking you there."

Then I let her go and she stood there for a moment, fighting the urge to turn back toward me, I could tell. She stalked off before she could actually betray her thoughts.

I smiled as I watched her go.

Yeah, she was as good as mine.

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I hope you liked it!

And I want to say a great big **THANK YOU** to everyone who has reviewed. I can't tell you how much I love logging on and finding reviews on this story.

Also, I'm planning on ending this story at the end of Hogwarts, and either doing a sequel of after Hogwarts (to continue with Lily and James) or go back and do a sort of companion piece that focuses on the Marauders in school. Let me know what you guys think is more interesting!


	22. Ancient and Most Noble House of Black

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 22 here! So nothing really action-packed in this chapter, once again, but just a sort of continuation. Things are calming down just a bit around Hogwarts and life is starting to move on. Although, I am starting to see the Order of the Phoenix forming, so I suppose that's interesting.

Thank you to all my reviewers, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well.

Oh, and I know that some of you asked me to specify when I change pov's, but I hate doing that only because I think it's a bit of an eyesore. There is only James and Lily in this chapter, and I tried my best to make it very clear who is talking.

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I sat nervously in the Entrance Hall with Lily and the others, waiting for my name to be called. Alice was much luckier. She was already sitting inside the Great Hall, as she was not called as a witness and was, therefore, fully entitled to watch the entire trial without being accused of having a swayed testimony.

Lily squeezed my hand and tried to smooth the worry lines from my forehead.

"Relax, sweetheart," she murmured into my ear as her small hand moved softly over my forehead, "It will be over soon, and she'll be gone for good."

I nodded, swallowing a lump in my throat.

"At least she's not back yet," Remus muttered.

Sirius nodded. "And no one knows why she left, so they'll assume she did it herself."

"I wonder where she is right now," I said off-hand.

Wrong thing to say. Sirius practically jumped me.

"What, are you worried all of a sudden? I hope she's somewhere entirely horrible and she melts in the sun like all those stupid muggle stories."

"They don't melt in the _sun_, Sirius, you have to throw water on them," Lily giggled, instantly lightening the mood.

"Shows how much muggles know about us," Sirius remarked, only the faintest hint of bitterness left in his voice. "Miss Lily has had loads of baths and she still hasn't melted."

I smiled and wrapped both arms around her. "Thank Merlin for that."

She gave me a soft kiss.

That's one thing I love about being hers. Well, I suppose I've always been hers, but being her _boyfriend_. She'll just kiss me for no reason at all, just because she feels like it.

It's fantastic! Especially as her lips are so soft and warm and-

"Alright, enough of that," Remus reprimanded. "We're supposed to be looking serious when they come out to get us!"

Sirius laughed quietly. "Don't be jealous of James, Moony, I can get you some more snogging practice. Isabelle Fawcett is quite pretty, and she's fancied you for ages—"

"I do not need snogging practice!" Remus hissed. I could tell he was trying really hard not to loose his temper, so I tried really hard not to laugh at his miserable failure.

"Oh, come on, Moony!" Sirius whined, purposely antagonizing him.

"You can set me up with snogging practice, Padfoot!" Peter volunteered, "I don't mind!"

Sirius clapped his shoulder. "Well done, Wormtail, way to be a sport. See, Moony? You should learn from Wormtail, here. He's always up for anything."

Remus just shook his head. "If you had it your way, Sirius, every girl in Hogwarts would hate at least one of us by now."

I laughed at that. He was completely right.

"Well how am I to know which ones can't handle a friendly snog?" Sirius defended himself.

I couldn't help answering.

"Well, usually you snog them and find out that way."

Sirius grinned at me. "The only way to be _absolutely_ certain, mate. How else would anyone do it?"

"They would leave all the poor girls alone," Remus replied, bitingly. "Now everyone quiet down, they'll be coming out for us any moment."

He was right, they should be calling us in any time, so we all did quiet down.

Lily had to go in first.

I swallowed another lump down my throat.

xxxxxxx

"I can't believe that!"

I covered my ears. Lily screaming was not the most pleasant sound.

"Can you believe it?" She screamed again, frustrated with my lack of response.

Of course I couldn't believe it. How could I?

"No," Sirius growled from my other side. "We're going to have to kill her now."

I turned sharply toward him.

"I was just venting," he mumbled, "I didn't actually _mean_ it…"

"Well, there's nothing more that we can do now," Remus said reasonably. Or, at least as reasonably as he could through the anger that I could feel coursing through him. It was humming through all of us, starting to throb and build.

It wasn't going anywhere good.

"At least she won't be at Hogwarts anymore," I said, trying to help calm everyone. "So what if they home-school her? At least she won't be around any muggle borns that she can attack."

"No, but she'll be around plenty of muggles," Sirius pointed out angrily, his face darkening. "And at home they'll teach her all the curses that they don't teach at Hogwarts. I know my aunt and uncle."

I shuddered slightly at his tone.

I knew his aunt and uncle too.

"But still, Sirius, she can't do that much harm. There's the Statute of Secrecy to consider, your uncle will be sure to give the ministry no reason to investigate him."

Why is it that Remus is the only one that can ever talk sense? I should have thought to calm Sirius down that way.

"Still, I wanted them to snap her wand," Sirius argued.

"They would have bought her a new one," I reminded him, "easily."

Sirius groaned. "I know. Damn Black family. The name deserves to die out. I hope it does."

"Your own family name? That includes you, Sirius," Lily reminded him.

"I'd be willing to make that sacrifice," Sirius countered, "As long as no one had to hear the name 'Black' again. They throw it around, all of them, as if they think it makes them royalty! They expect the Minister himself to bow down to them, and, more often then not, he does-"

"It's alright, Sirius—"

"It is not! It's disgusting."

"Can I have a minute with Sirius?" I asked as I gave Lily to Remus.

There were a few mumbled yes's and then Sirius and I were alone.

"It's not right," he said, crossing his arms.

"I didn't say it was, mate," I told him quietly.

He just shook his head and glared at the wall.

"At least she's not here anymore," I reminded him.

He continued glaring.

Then, when he finally looked at me, I saw something slip in his expression, just enough to show me the misery beneath the anger.

"I hate being a Black."

I clapped his shoulder and turned him back toward Gryffindor Tower.

"You were never really a Black, Sirius. You were always a Potter."

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"Incredible timing on her part," James was saying as I lounged on the couch next to him.

"Astounding, really," Remus answered, nodding. "Absolutely perfect for her to get back the day _after_ she's kicked out."

Peter turned to James and me as he asked eagerly, "Did you two get to see her face when Dumbledore told her?"

"No, Dumbledore had us leave because he felt that Bellatrix's temper might be dangerous to Lily if we stayed," James said, shaking his head and answering for the two of us as I couldn't be bothered to be part of this conversation.

I was just emotionally exhausted, really.

All I wanted to do was cuddle up to James and fall asleep.

Actually, I can do that, can't I?

I moved so that I could curl into his side and rest my head on his shoulder as I listened to them talk.

"I heard her telling her sister that she ended up in Birmingham," Alice said, giggling. Everyone joined in to her laughter.

"I wish she'd ended up in another country," James said, still grinning. "Ireland, or France at least."

Sirius shook his head. "Too bad, I bet the French might have been able to handle her, too."

"Oh, bullocks!" James suddenly exclaimed through the laughter.

"What's wrong?" I asked, twisting enough to see his face.

"I forgot we have a potions essay due tomorrow!"

I twisted back to my comfortable position, all worry erased. "I can help you with that, sweetheart, just let me know when you want to start."

"I need a bit of help too," Sirius confessed, blushing slightly.

I had to laugh at that. I'd never seen Sirius blush before, but he does like to maintain that he can do everything himself, so I suppose it makes sense.

"I can help you too." Then something occurred to me, and I frowned. "Why did you two even take potions this year? I thought you hated it?"

This time James blushed and it was Sirius's turn to laugh.

"Well, Prongs here only took it because you were taking it, Miss Lily. And I took it so that I could be sure that he didn't say anything stupid to you."

"Ah, I see. So you two have inflicted your presence on Slughorn for another year out of pure chivalry?"

"Yeah, that would be it," Sirius told me with a big smile.

I couldn't help it. I gave James a big kiss.

Remus must have been slightly annoyed, because the next thing I was aware of was Sirius saying, "I can still set you up with Isabelle Fawcett, Moony…"

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"So it seems like we're going to add three more," I said, listing them in my head as I counted them off for the others. "Marlene McKinnon, Frank Longbottom, and Emmeline Vance."

"And Sirius," James added, "I know you've got a thing for McKinnon, but try not to get her mad at us in general, mate."

"Don't worry, Prongs, I've already decided that she's off-limits."

"And I won't be putting you two together for patrolling, either," Remus said, looking up from where he was scribbling away on some parchment. "I have visions of you two snogging and forgetting to actually _watch_ the Slytherins…"

"Don't worry, Moony. Really, I've decided to leave her be."

I watched Sirius grin. He was just too adorable, really. Although, I would probably feel differently about his antics if he had ever tried them on _me_.

As it was, he had always steered clear because I had always been 'James's Territory,' whatever that meant. All three had, actually. I can't honestly say that was disappointing.

Although, I wouldn't have minded Remus, but I was never really that into him anyway.

Honestly, the anger toward James had left little room for any actual emotions toward anyone else.

"I can't believe we didn't think of Emmeline Vance," Alice was saying as she tapped her foot impatiently against the leg of her chair. "We've known her for _ages_."

"Yeah, I still don't think we should add her," Sirius said. Surprise, surprise. He's been against this from the very beginning.

"Sirius," I groaned, "Just because she's the only real girlfriend you ever had—"

"That's not the reason!" He said indignantly, "Well, that's part of the reason, but that's just another reason why you should trust me on this! I just don't think she's trustworthy! Don't you think that I understand her better than all of you do?"

I thought about it for a bit.

"He does have a point," James said next to me.

"Well, let's think of it this way," Remus compromised, "Can we trust her to hate the Slytherins more than she hates Sirius?"

That's a fair question.

We all turned to Sirius, as he was the only one who could properly answer that question. Even James didn't know why they had broken up.

Sirius nodded grudgingly. "Yes, when you put it that way…I'm sure she would choose us over the Slytherins."

"Alright then," Remus said, turning back to his parchment, "I promise not to put you on patrol with her either."

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"Do you like it?" I asked her softly.

"Of course," she said, giving me a beautiful smile and laughing softly. "It's beautiful. But it doesn't matter if _I_ like it, James, this is your house."

I smiled. "Of course it matters, silly."

"Really? And why's that?"

I touched my forehead to hers and looked deep into her eyes.

"Because it's going to be yours someday," I murmured softly. "That is, if you want it. Or if you want _me_, for that matter, I'm afraid the house comes with me though, as part of the James Potter package, but if you'd rather not have me—"

She cut me off with a kiss.

"James? It's a beautiful house. But maybe we should wait on the marriage thing until we've been dating for more than a month."

"Oh, but it's already been five weeks! That's more than a—"

She cut me off with another kiss. I think that's supposed to be annoying, but really, a bloke could get used to this.

"Maybe a little longer then. But James?" I opened my eyes to let her know I was paying attention. "I fancy you."

I grinned. "Fantastic. I don't think I'll ever get sick of hearing that."

"Really?" She said, pretending to frown, "Well, if I'd known _that_ it would have been easier to find you a Christmas present."

I laughed. "You're wonderful, Lily."

She smiled and hugged me. "Good. Where have the rest of the Marauders gotten to? I thought we were all spending Christmas with your parents?"

"Erm…well," I started and rumpled my hair, a little worried that I hadn't warned her before, "They're not coming until tomorrow."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh?"

I felt my face turning a bit red. "Well, my…umm…parents actually wanted a dinner with just you, tonight…and…umm…"

She let out a breath. "So it's just you, me, and your parents tonight?"

I nodded.

She breathed deeply again. "I really wish you had warned me, James."

So do I. "Don't worry, they're going to love you. I've been talking about you for the past six years, I mean, they practically know you already."

"Not helping, James."

I didn't know what to say, so I gave her a soft kiss. It seemed to calm her a bit. "Don't worry, sweetheart, you're going to blow them away."

I couldn't help but smile at her expression. She looked like a nervous little kid. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Come on," I said, leading her by the hand into the kitchen where I could tell the smells were. Nutmeg and duck wafted through the doorway.

"James!" Magdalynn called from one of the many stoves, "You're home! Ah, and I trust that the redhead is Lily Evans!"

I sensed Lily's blush.

I grinned. "You don't miss a thing, Mag. Now, what are you cooking tonight? It has to be good because I'm trying to convince Lily to marry me and live in this beautiful house."

"Duck for the main and Buche du Noel for desert," Mag said, giving Lily a smile.

I pouted purely for Mag's benefit. "Oh, but you know my favorite is steak and apple pie!"

"Which is exactly why I didn't make it! This girl is bound to have better tastes than you, James."

I couldn't help but laugh. Mag was real with me, and I loved that about her. It was like having a second mum and a best friend rolled into one. "Alright, Mag, you win."

"I'll make it for you tomorrow, baby, don't worry."

I grinned. "Thanks, Mag. Where's everyone else?" I asked, looking around the kitchen for her helpers. "Did they leave you here all alone to cook tonight?"

"I gave them the night off."

"Do you need any help then? Lily, why don't you go into the dining room and sit down, sweetheart?"

"No, no, I want to help too. Well, I know I'm not much of a cook, but I can wash and fetch ingredients for you if you like," Lily offered.

"No, beautiful, I want you to relax, now go right through that door to the dining room and—"

"James Potter! The poor girl obviously doesn't want to leave when she'll get lost in this castle! Here, dear," Mag said, conjuring up a chair, "Take a seat and let your beau do all the work for you tonight."

Lily settled and gave Mag a smile. I couldn't help but grin at that. Hopefully my parents will make her comfortable just as quickly.

xxxxxxx

Thank Merlin that everything went well with Mum and Dad. I was a little worried that it might be awkward, but everything worked out alright.

I snuck into Lily's room at about midnight. We had gone to separate rooms for my parents' benefit, but I knew she wouldn't be able to sleep without me, just like I couldn't even close my eyes without her in my arms.

I swear I love that girl so much it's going to be the death of me someday. Lily Evans doesn't take up more and more room in my heart. She has my whole heart and she keeps making it bigger. I can't find any limit to how much I love her.

Which is exactly why I need her sleeping next to me.

"Lily?" I whispered, "Sweetheart, can you hear me?"

A lamp flickered on and revealed the large bed in the middle of the room. "James? Merlin, I thought you were going to leave me all alone tonight!" She whispered back.

Now that I could see the bed, I made my way over and climbed in. "Of course not, sweetheart, you know I can't sleep without you close."

She smiled, and I couldn't help but smile in response. I gave her a soft kiss and wrapped my arms around her. "You ready to sleep, now?"

"Yes," she murmured, snuggling closer. "I'm _exhausted_."

A few minutes later she murmured, "James?"

"Hmmm?"

"It would be wonderful…to live here with you, I mean."

I grinned. "We'll see if you still say that in the morning, love, after you've had a proper night's rest."

I felt her smile against my shoulder. "Okay, love."

xxxxxxxxxx

I woke to the feel of Lily's warm lips on mine.

"Wake up, James, it's time for breakfast."

I've never had a better alarm clock in my life.

I rolled over, trapping her in my arms when she tried to get up.

"James," she said again, sounding a bit annoyed, "Come on, they can't find us in the same bed."

"Five more minutes," I said, wrapping my arms around her tightly. "Please?"

"Alright," she sighed, not entirely unwilling. "But get off, I can barely breathe."

"How do you think I feel every day?" I asked, pulling her onto my chest as I rolled onto my back.

She slapped my shoulder. "I'm not that heavy!"

I grinned, but didn't answer.

"I'm not!" She repeated adamantly.

"Oh! I have something for you before we go downstairs, sweetheart," I told her, suddenly awake and excited.

"What's that?" She asked, curious in spite of herself.

I snuck back to my room and came back a moment later with her Christmas present in my hands.

"Happy Christmas, sweetheart," I said, handing it to her.

She lit up like a child and unwrapped it right there on the bed.

"Oh, James! That's so swee—is this a stuffed reindeer?"

"What's a reindeer?" I asked, confused.

She looked up at me, seeming to remember something. "Sorry," she said, "Muggle Christmas story, forget about it. But really, if this isn't a reindeer…um…I mean, it's lovely, James…"

"It's a stag," I told her softly. That wasn't her real present, it was just a symbol, after all.

"A stag?" She asked, confused. I grinned and took a step back.

"Stay on the bed," I warned her, "I have to show you something."

With a soft pop, I transformed for her.

She looked at me, a bit startled at first, but soon I could only see wonder.

"James, I…" she seemed to be at a loss for words. "You're _beautiful_."

She reached out from the bed, and I moved a bit closer so that she could stroke my nose softly. A shiver ran through me in delight and I turned back into a human. She stared at me, jaw dropped in wonder.

I chuckled softly. "So, what do you think?"

She beckoned me back onto the bed, then kissed me deeply. She touches my soul, that girl does.

As usual, she pulled away much too soon. "You get more amazing every day, James Potter."

I grinned and pecked her lips softly. "Those words were the best Christmas present you could have given me."

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I hope you all liked this chapter!

I know it's short, but I felt like it should stop here. So I would like to say thank you for the reviews once again. So, **THANKYOU** to all my reviewers! I love love love reading the reviews!


	23. Going Out With a Bang

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 23 here! Wow, I feel like this story is getting long. Let me know what you think. Anyways, here we have them all back at Hogwarts after the holidays, and let me explain that a certain Bellatrix Black has in fact been banished from the grounds, but due to her previous absence was allowed to come back for two days to retrieve her possessions. Thus the mayhem ensues.

**Disclaimer: I haven't done one in a while, but just so we're clear, I'm still not JKRowling. Although, I did randomly make up the names Isabelle Fawcett and William Smethy.**

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"Sirius, where's Remus?"

"I locked him in a broom cupboard with Isabelle Fawcett," he replied without batting an eye.

The funniest part was, I knew he wasn't joking.

"He's going to give you hell when he gets back, mate," I advised, shaking my head and grinning.

"Oh, no," Sirius answered, "I listened outside the door until he stopped shouting at me. Fawcett will be snogging him for a good hour, mark my words."

"She was in on it?" I asked incredulously.

Although, honestly, I suppose I should have known.

"Oh yeah, she's been waiting for that chance for a good year now. She ran right into the cupboard when I told her that I could get Moony in there with her."

I couldn't help bursting into laughter. That was just Remus's luck.

"And I'm sure he's in there trying to be a gentleman and not touch her," I finally said through the laughter.

"No, mate, I told you I waited until I could definitely hear them snogging," Sirius assured me with a smile on his face.

"What are you two so happy about?" Alice asked as she took the seat next to Sirius. Lily curled up next to me and took my hand.

"Remus is going to kill Sirius when he gets back," I told her, still chuckling at the expression that I imagined on Remus's face.

"Oh, well, tell him that he'll have help," Alice said. "I just talked to Emmeline Vance and her condition is that she is never on patrol with Sirius."

"We already established that," Sirius grumbled, the smile disappearing from his face in half a second. "Tell her she has nothing to worry about."

"So she's decided to join?" I asked tentatively. I don't know what happened between those two, but it was enough that she seriously considered not joining us.

Alice turned to Sirius. "I don't know what you told her, but it worked. She decided to join." Then she got up to start back toward the door, "Well, that's all then. I have to go meet Frank."

She disappeared and I looked at Sirius curiously. He glanced at Lily, who had already fallen asleep on my shoulder, before answering my unspoken question.

"It didn't work," he grumbled, between anger and old heartbreak. "If she still doesn't want to talk to me, then what I said to her didn't work."

I shook my head.

"I'm the last person who should tell you to just let it go, Padfoot," I said, inclining my head toward Lily in explanation, "but maybe you should."

"Maybe."

xxxxxx

Sirius and I peered around the corner, wands ready to be whipped out at any given moment. It had been too quiet for too long.

"Lily, I don't think they're going to do anything right now," he whispered into my ear so that he could be as quiet as possible. "And I'm hungry."

I had to stifle a laugh at the whine in his tone.

"Well, we're here for another hour, so deal with it."

"How am I supposed to do that on an empty stomach?"

"Be a man."

He pouted. "I already am, Miss Lily—"

I clamped a hand over his mouth. He was getting loud and I just saw Sev—I mean, Snape—leave the Slytherin common room. I debated following him.

"What do you think?" I whispered in his ear, "Track one or wait to see if the others come out to play?"

Sirius shook his head. "I don't know. We have no idea if the others are even in the common room. James kept the map so that he could spot trouble."

I was confused.

What map?

"What map?"

Sirius looked at me as though suddenly realizing that he had let something slip when he shouldn't have. Really? James just told me that he's an unregistered animagus and he feels the need to hide a _map_ from me? What does it do, show you how to break into Gringotts on a dragon?

"Nothing…um…let's just stay here and see if the other Slytherins come out," he whispered hastily.

Oh, no. Not so fast.

"I have a better idea. Why don't you pull out your wand and call James about this map, if it can tell you whether or not we should stay here."

His eyes widened. I guess he didn't think I'd understood that much from his little slip.

"Well?" I said, impatient with his glassy stare. "Go on and call him. He's the one who has to answer to me later, not you, Sirius."

He pulled out his wand, muttering something indistinct about 'trying to understand your best mate's girl,' and whispered into it.

"Prongs, are you there?"

"Yeah, Padfoot, what's up? Do you need us?"

"No, I need you to go check the map and tell me if the Slytherins are in their common room."

It took a moment, but then James answered. "Yeah, they're still in there. Looks like Bellatrix is headed your way though."

"Alone?"

"Alone," James confirmed. "Keep a sharp eye."

"Okay, thanks," Sirius replied, cutting the connection and pulling me deeper into the shadows.

Soon the hidden doors opened with a hiss and she sauntered out, glancing about cursorily before heading off in the same direction that Snape had. I glanced at Sirius and he nodded his consent.

I disillusioned both of us and we followed her down the hall and out onto the grounds as quietly as we could. It took some time, as we both had to try to walk only in her tracks in order to avoid leaving our own trail in the snow. Finally, she stopped some twenty paces from us. I grabbed Sirius's arm and hopped into an alcove so that we could both watch.

"Snape," She greeted coldly.

"Bellatrix," he replied, matching her tone. "I assume you got my note."

She gave a stiff nod.

"Well then, let's get down to business. How do we get rid of Potter?"

I felt Sirius tense beside me.

Or maybe that's just because I tensed even more than he did.

Bellatrix laughed and I noticed her shake her left wrist subconsciously. "I have bigger things to worry about, Snape. You carry out your own vendettas."

He raised a brow at her and asked sarcastically, "Really?"

"Of course," she snapped arrogantly. "Do you really think that the Dark Lord is interested in your personal woes, when he thinks that Potter could be useful? He's heard from Lucius how many times that blood-traitor has out-witted you all, though you are all admittedly dim-witted to begin with, there's no miraculous feat there—"

"Enough!" Snape snapped. "Why does he want _Potter_?" He asked, spitting the name with more venom than I expected.

"Pure-blood and brilliant. He would be useful," Bellatrix said flippantly, as though unaware of the effect this news was having on him. "Apparently he wants them all…even the mudblood, Evans."

The look on his face genuinely terrified me.

"He wants her too?"

"Oh, come now, Snape, surely you can see his point? An annoyingly talented mudblood who has managed to win the heart of a pure-blood? He wants to know what makes her so…how did he put it…_unique_." She surveyed him for a moment, watching the blood drain from his face before she added, "Surely you can find a way to get along with a childhood friend, Snape. And you won't be getting any help with Potter. _I _won't deprive the Dark Lord of a worthy soldier. If you want him, you'll have to do it yourself."

With that, she turned and walked back toward the castle doors, leaving Snape to turn waxy white in the snow.

She twitched her wrist again as she walked past our alcove.

I don't know if Sirius saw it, but I did.

And then it disappeared again under her sleeve.

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"You're sure that's what you saw, Lily?" Alice asked for the tenth time.

"_Yes_," I said, annoyed at her persistent denial.

"But, you can't tell Sirius if he didn't see—"

"I know."

"But, if he did see, then he won't have told James or the others—"

"I know."

"But then, you'll need to tell them, because he'll need the support from his friends—"

"I know."

"But then he'll get mad because he won't want anyone to know that his cousin's become a Death Eater—"

"_I know_."

"But what are you going to do?"

"I don't know."

We stared at each other for a moment.

I don't know what we were hoping for, it's not like the answer was just going to bloody appear on anyone's face, all written out neatly for us to read and follow.

I mean, Bellatrix Black has become a Death Eater.

I saw the evidence tattooed on her wrist.

"Should I tell Dumbledore?" I asked, trying to think it through.

"I don't know if it really matters," Alice said, confusion and concern etched into her face. "I mean, she's only here for one more day. She's only allowed to pack her things and then she has to get right back on the train home."

She was right.

But still…

"I know Bellatrix Black. She doesn't need a day to cause havoc. I'd be willing to bet a thousand galleons that she'll be planning to do something tonight, and then make her escape on the train tomorrow morning."

Alice looked at me, suddenly horrified. "Oh Merlin, you're absolutely right! Why didn't we realize that before?"

"I don't know," I said, shaking my head at our horrendous oversight and trying to think calmly. "But we'll have to get everyone together to keep watch on her and the other Slytherins tonight. I think it's time I had a little chat with James about a certain map."

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Lily was staring at me.

It was starting to become a bit worrisome, really. I wasn't sure if she was going to hex me or just slap me.

At the moment, she seemed to be settling for breathing loudly, but I didn't think that was going to last very long.

"You're telling me that you had a map of Hogwarts, that would show you where everyone was, and what they were doing, and you never used it to spy on the Slytherins before?"

Well, when she puts it like that, it does sound incredibly stupid of us not to have used it.

"Really, James?"

"I…well…I guess I forgot that it would be useful," I finished lamely.

I'm lucky her head didn't pop off. It looked as though all the blood in her body had rushed up to her cranium and was now coloring her face.

Then, somehow, she controlled it. She started breathing again, not as loudly as before.

"Well," she said, taking a seat on the couch, "I suppose we have it now. Go get it and we'll start taking it in turns to watch the map."

I hurried off to do as I was told. Really, how could we have been so stupid before? None of us even thought to use the map to spy on the Slytherins. We could even have identified the muggle-borns that they attacked much quicker with it.

Although, that may have involved admitting to Dumbledore that we had such a map of the school…no, there are four of us. We could have all just said that we could recognize the student. It would have worked out quite well, actually.

Merlin! Why didn't we think of it before?

I pulled it out of my trunk and then rushed back downstairs, suddenly eager to show it to her.

"Should we tell Dumbledore that we're expecting her to do something tonight?" I asked Lily, taking the seat next to her on the couch.

"Yes, I think so. But we won't tell him about the map. We'll just tell him that we'll have people tailing her so that we'll know immediately about anything she does," she answered, thinking hard. I was relieved to see that her face was back to its normal color.

I still can't believe that all four of us could have been so bloody thick.

"Good, good," I said, placing the map on the table and pointing my wand at it to demonstrate. "So now you just tap the parchment and say 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.'"

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good?" She asked sarcastically, looking at me, "Really, James?"

I grinned cheekily at her. "Wait until you hear how to clear the parchment. You have to point again and say 'Mischief Managed.'"

"_Marauders_," she said, shaking her head at me.

I couldn't stop grinning for some reason.

"You really made this yourselves?"

"Yeah. Well, it was my idea, and then Sirius and I figured out how to make it work. We think it'll still work for future generations, too, because every year the first years get added without any extra charms."

"Really?" She asked. I could tell that she was fascinated and downright impressed now, so I knew that I was in safe territory.

"Yeah," I said, sliding the map toward her. "Go on, look for someone on there."

She looked down at the map, probably not searching for anyone in particular, and asked, "Didn't Remus and Peter help?"

"Remus didn't approve, and Peter was never very good at Charms."

"And Sirius was?"

I grinned as she looked up. "Haven't you heard? Sirius is a natural charmer."

She laughed. "I _have_ heard, yes."

"So who are you looking for?"

"Dumbledore and Bellatrix."

"Mmm, good idea. Should we go to Dumbledore together, or do you think one is good enough?"

"Let's go together," she said, looking up at me. "This way no one gets tongue-tied and confesses about this map."

I laughed. "You seem to have forgotten that I'm a marauder."

She laughed too. "You really made this yourselves, then? And how exactly did you do it?"

Oh no. This is going to take a while.

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"Okay, everyone know where they need to be?" Lily whispered, glancing around at the whole group. There were nods and murmured yes's in response.

I watched her organize everyone and then followed her out the portrait hole.

When we spoke to Dumbledore earlier, he told us to keep a sharp eye and instructed me to send my patronus if we got wind of any trouble. I've practicing it all day, just to be sure that I'll be able to do it when the time comes.

We walked through the halls without shoes, in an effort to remain as silent as possible, until we were one corridor away from the Slytherin party. I glanced at the map again.

Silently, I motioned for them to peek over my shoulder, frowning as I realized that there was no one among them that looked like a victim. It was just a big group of Slytherins.

Were they lying in wait for someone?

They had to be. There's no way that they went out to this random hallway just to talk about the lovely weather we're having.

I was barely even breathing as I tried to listen to them. I checked the map again. Surely there must be someone here, or on the way, that didn't know they were walking into a trap. I could warn them, if I could just find the person!

But there was no one walking this way. It was just us and them, with only a corner between us to hold back the fire.

I started to get a bit impatient.

Then I started to get nervous.

I strained harder to hear what they were saying, but I couldn't get anything.

You know what? I just realized that, even through all this, no points have been taken from Slytherin House.

Well, how about this? Three-hundred points from Slytherin, a hundred for every muggle-born they tried to kill.

I hope that works since I only said it in my head.

Oh no, there he is.

So it'll be William Smethy tonight, will it?

There's no way to intercept him, is there. I suppose we'll just have to take them on as quickly as possible. This way they can't hit him with too many curses.

It is absolutely ridiculous that we have to wait for them to fire first.

I watched Smethy's dot get closer and motioned for the others to follow me closer to the corner. We needed to be in a position ready to jump and defend, or rather, surprise attack them from behind.

Oh no, that sound came from behind me.

Oh, please Merlin, let them not hear.

But that's far too much to ask in a castle like Hogwarts. The smack echoed down our hall and around the corner. I pushed everyone back behind me, but I wasn't quick enough.

"Sectemsempra!"

Of course Bellatrix was fast enough. Of course she was.

And though everything was strangely moving in slow motion, there was nothing I could do to stop that curse from hitting Lily.

"Incendio!" I screamed at the same time that I heard Sirius yell, "Impedimenta!"

And then mayhem broke out all around the hall. I took my spilt second of opportunity to grab Lily's body and drag her behind the corner, running my wand along her wounds and hoping desperately that I could get her to the hospital wing in time.

"Episkey!" I muttered, "Episkey, episkey!"

But it wasn't working. And then I remembered Dumbledore. I thought as hard as I could of Lily, of the way she smiled, the way her hand fit mine, the way she had kissed me just this afternoon, and to my relief the charm worked. A silver stag erupted from my wand and stampeded off to Dumbledore's office.

I knew that they needed me to go back to the fight, but I couldn't leave her. I sat there, hopelessly trying to heal her wounds, but within seconds he was there.

"Take her to the hospital wing, James, I will handle this."

I listened to my headmaster without even realizing it in my shell-shocked state. If she wasn't okay…if she never opened her eyes again…

Suddenly I was running. I sprinted, with every ounce of power that I had, down the halls, until I was finally there.

"Madam Pomfrey! MADAM POMFREY!"

She came stumbling out of her office in her nightgown, about to ask what all the screaming was about when she saw Lily in my arms.

"Oh, dear," she said, ashen. Then she pulled her wand out from behind her back. "Put her on this bed, hurry now, no time to waste."

She had to reopen all the wounds that I closed. To say that was hard to watch would be a gross understatement. Especially as Lily was no longer unresponsive. I had to watch her writhe and scream as her flesh tore open. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't even let me hold her hand through it.

Ten agonizing minutes later, it was over.

And not a moment too soon. The hospital wing flooded with the others who were injured. Sirius was carrying a limp Marlene Mckinnon, and Remus was helping Alice with Frank, who was slumped between them and seemed to have tentacles sprouting over his face. There were even more Slytherins injured. I was thrilled to see that one of them had no control over his limp hands, and so he couldn't use his wand. Several others had their faces screwed up against what looked like immense pain.

Dumbledore followed them in, and I now understood that the strange truce between them was actually a forced cease-fire. His wand was pointed directly between the two groups, and I concentrated enough to see the nearly invisible shield between them.

Dumbledore himself levitated _her_, the bitch, the cause of all this horror at Hogwarts, into the ward. She looked pretty bad.

Madam Pomfrey bustled over to see to her first muttering, "She won't be hurt on _my_ watch, oh no, she won't be let back into this school on a technicality, let me assure you…she will have the _best_ healer care until she is out of my ward…"

Am I a horrible person for being pleased to see her in such a state? I was thrilled that she was badly singed all over, apparently my curse hit her square, and she seemed to have earned several deep cuts in the seconds that I was tending to Lily behind the corner. She was completely still.

Sheet-white.

I hope she's bled out of those cuts. She should get exactly what she tried to do to Lily.

I turned away from her, back to Lily, and took her hand. She had fallen asleep now, so I just stroked her hand very softly. Just enough to reassure myself that she was still here with me, but not to wake her.

I looked up at everyone else in the ward.

What was Dumbledore going to do now?

xxxxxxx

Ooh, a cliff-hanger ending! I don't usually do those, but it seemed right this time.

I hope you liked it!

A huge **THANKYOU** goes out to all my reviewers who reviewed the last chapter. And that's a special thank you, since I only got a couple reviews, so there's more of the 'thank you' to go around…if that made any sense.

And thanks also to everyone who added me to their favorites/alerts lists! I really appreciate that as well.


	24. When It Rains, It Pours

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 24 here! So nice to see you all again. Well, if you're looking for James/Lily fluff, you might want to wait for a few more chapters, because they just have it hard right now. Poor Lily is really having some serious issues. But hopefully they can resolve them soon.

To Echo,

I couldn't click on you to send a private message, so I'm answering here. I'm thrilled that you like my story, and I usually update once a week. This update is a few days early.

And yeah, I hope you all like it, and please review!

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Everyone was tense.

Finally, he spoke.

"I believe," he said, piercing everyone in turn with his blue gaze, "That an explanation is in order."

There was dead silence for a moment, before everyone started speaking at once.

"Black started it—"

"_Bellatrix_ Black, make it clear which one you're accusing of dark magic—"

"Well _Sirius_ Black started throwing curses—"

"Absolutely not! Bellatrix hit Lily before anyone threw a curse back at her—"

"SILENCE!"

Needless to say, everyone shut up.

I tensed even more. I think you would have to be insane not to fear Dumbledore's expression. I mean, they say even Voldemort is afraid of him.

"Now, I will have you speak one at a time. Mr. Potter, you are Head Boy, and Mr. Snape, you are Slytherin prefect. You will both accompany me to my office." Snape and I glared at each other, but then we both caught Dumbledore's gaze and redirected our glares to the ceiling.

"Everyone else will remain in the hospital wing tonight." He raised his hand to cut off the beginning of several objections, "Gryffindors on one side, Slytherins on the other, and if any of you dares to cross the shield I place between you in the ward you will deeply regret it."

He stood and swept out of the room. Snape and I hurried after him without question or complaint. I was too scared to even glare at Snape right then. This was trouble for the Gryffindors too, and Lily…

Oh, Lily.

She's fine.

She's _supposed_ to be fine.

Madam Pomfrey put her right to sleep, gave her a blood replenishing potion…no need to worry.

But the lack of need didn't stop my worrying, of course.

I don't know what I'll do with myself if I never get to look into those big, green eyes again. I've heard that some people die of broken hearts.

I suppose I would get the chance to test the theory.

_Please_ be okay, Lily. I'm begging you.

"Sit down, please."

I had nearly forgotten that I was even following Dumbledore. But the harsh reality came rushing back in. And from the looks of it, we hurt Bellatrix just as badly as some of our side had been hurt. I don't even know what happened to Marlene, or where Emmeline disappeared to.

We weren't coming out of this purely as heroes, that was certain.

"Now," Dumbledore said when we were finally cogniscent enough to fold our bodies into his chairs, "I will have Mr. Potter speak first. Mr. Snape, your time will come shortly."

Snape nodded stiffly, then went to sit in the hall just outside the door. Dumbledore charmed it to silence before turning his piercing blue eyes on me.

"We were waiting for them, just like we told you we would watch," I started, shaky. I wanted to go back to Lily so badly, the feeling was beginning to tear my insides. I should be with _her_ now, not explaining the evil of another girl to the Headmaster.

"And we saw that they were lying in wait for someone." I glanced up, trying to mask a slight ghost of guilt as I realized that I couldn't tell Dumbledore who they were waiting for. Was Smethy alright?

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded, almost as though he read my mind. "Mr. William Smethy, I believe. Fortunately he heard the commotion and avoided that particular corridor."

Huh.

Well, I suppose Ravenclaws aren't particularly brave or loyal.

"Please continue, Mr. Potter."

"Right, sorry, Professor. Well, they seemed to be lying in wait for someone, but we didn't know enough to intercept them so we tried to get as close as we could. But then someone made a noise." I paused and looked up. "Bellatrix heard. She must have been expecting to be watched, else she didn't care who it was, but she turned and fired a curse and it got Lily square in the stomach, Professor, she was bleeding _everywhere_."

I stopped, looking down at the floor and shuddering.

"I understand the difficulty, James," he said, more kindly than I had heard him speak all night, "but it is immensely important that you continue."

I nodded, still looking at the floor.

I started again. "I fired a curse back at Bellatrix, and so did Sirius—"

"I'm afraid you must look into my eyes when telling me this story, Mr. Potter," he said, back to his frigid and authoritative tone. I had never heard him use that tone before tonight. I was quite certain that I never wanted to hear him use it again.

I nodded and looked back up at him. "Well, like I said, Sirius and I both fired curses back at her, and then it broke out completely. I don't know what happened then. I was too busy trying to help Lily, and—"

I broke down.

Dumbledore offered me his box of tissues. "So you do not know how the battle escalated after you sent your patronus?"

I shook my head, unable to control my voice.

He nodded gravely. "Very well then, Mr. Potter. You may rejoin the other Gryffindors in the hospital wing."

He looked down his spectacles at me as I got up to go. "And James? She will be fine."

"Lily or Bellatrix?"

"Both. I suggest you remain watchful of Lily, James. You have humiliated the Slytherins this year, and, as talented as you and Lily both are, she would be a remarkable prize in their eyes. A redemption of sorts. In fact, I would not be surprised if she was their real target tonight, and not Mr. Smethy."

My eyes got wide.

I nodded and nearly ran off to the hospital wing.

Dumbledore was right. The Slytherins would assume that we would watch them tonight. They could easily have cooked up this plan to get at Lily. After all, there were so many of them, and none went off after Smethy. Surely _one_ person could have broken off after him if that's who they were really after?

No, but they may have thought that one muggle-born was as good as another, and changed their plan once they saw Lily in front of them. After all, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

No, Dumbledore was right. They _want_ her, I knew that from the beginning. She would be their ultimate prize, like he said. A talented witch, guarded by the boys and I, and we're all very clever, there's no denying that. It would have been their redemption in Voldemort's eyes. But could they really have made this whole plan relying on our resistance?

Yes. Yes, they could.

Bellatrix and Snape, at the very least, knew us well enough to know that it was a safe bet.

I finally burst through the doors of the hospital wing and rushed to Lily's bedside. I took her hand as I turned to look at Sirius.

Yes, that could easily have been their plan.

xxxxxxxx

"Are you saying that _we're_ evil? Is that what you're saying to me, Lily? Really?" James said, his tone going from angry to sarcastic to angry again in a mere second and a half.

I sighed in exasperation. James is wonderful at picking nobility, but he downright sucks at seeing anyone else's point of view.

"No, James. I'm saying that they think they're right, just like you think you're right."

"That doesn't mean that we deserve to get into any sort of trouble for this!"

"James, you set a girl on fire," I raised a finger to his lips to stop the tirade that I knew was coming. "I'm not saying that she didn't deserve it, I'm saying that I can see her doing the same thing to someone, and I can see us calling her an evil bitch for it."

"But this was different! She did deserve it! She's been going around attacking muggle-borns for no reason other than their 'blood-status,' whatever the hell that means—"

"Yeah, so she thinks that they deserved it. Just like you think that she deserved it. Can't you see what I'm trying to show you, James?"

He shook his head stubbornly. "_I'm_ not trying to kill anyone for their parentage."

I nodded. "You're right. Kind of."

He looked at me incredulously. "When have I ever tried to—"

I put a finger to his lips again and glanced around the hospital ward to make sure everyone was still involved in their own conversations. "Bellatrix was born into a certain family. She thinks the way they do. It's difficult to break from what you're taught, James. Not everyone is like Sirius Black."

He gaped at me, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of words to say.

"Don't try to answer until you've really thought that through," I told him as I settled back into my bed. "Bellatrix Black was taught that certain things were right. I don't agree with them, but the way _I_ was taught, I can't kill people for disagreeing with me."

"But she's _clearly_ dangerous."

"That's true. That's why she needs to be controlled, put away. Personally I wouldn't mind if she spent the rest of her life in Azkaban, the deranged girl. But that doesn't give me the right to kill her myself. You don't defeat your enemies by becoming like them, it completely defeats the purpose."

He glared at the floor, then looked right into my eyes.

"So you're saying that's why Dumbledore has to punish us too?"

"I'm saying that he's trying to teach you something incredibly important, and if you just go to detention and grumble, you're going to miss the whole point."

"Fine," he said after a moment. "Fine, I'll try not to miss the whole point."

xxxxxxxxx

Detentions suck.

Especially when we shouldn't even be here.

All of Lily's reasoning about trying to learn something important and needing to understand the other's point of view just sounds ridiculous now. I mean, I really don't want to understand the need to kill muggle-borns.

Stupid Slytherins.

Stupid trophy case.

Stupid Slytherin trophies in the trophy case.

I dunked my rag into the smelly muggle cleaning potion and started rubbing a large shield. _Tom Marvolo Riddle-Special Services to the school_.

He was a Slytherin.

It made me want to spit on it.

And then I realized that I had no idea who this even was.

I wanted to spit on someone's award, even though I don't know who he is, or what he got it for, just because he's Slytherin.

I looked up at Sirius, who was busy dusting across the room. He was supposed to be a Slytherin. Would that have made him a bad person? No, so they weren't all bad, were they?

No, they weren't.

It was just the one group that had enough downright nastiness to tarnish even the best of reputations in a gigantic ripple effect. And I won't let that ripple touch me.

I won't be like them.

I suddenly understood what Lily said, about how it would defeat the purpose to fight the way they did.

I looked back down at the shield in my hand and started polishing it properly.

Tom Marvolo Riddle…maybe you weren't that bad.

xxxxxxxx

"She's finally gone."

"For real this time?"

"Yep."

"I think this calls for some firewhiskey!" Sirius said, excited.

Lily gave him a look.

"Oh, alright, Miss Lily, _butterbeer_," he said, exasperated. Then he added quietly to me, "Spiked with firewhiskey."

I grinned.

I was downright giddy, in fact.

Bellatrix Black will never step foot in this castle again. This is a glorious day.

"Who wants some music?" I asked, transfiguring an extra pillow into a radio.

There were lots of enthusiastic responses so I flipped it on and it began cackling a slow, sappy tune. No, that won't do, I need something to make everyone jump around for the next two hours.

Funny, when I wanted to find a slow song for Lily I never could. Right then that was all I could find on the old radio. I finally found a loud, raucous tune and pulled everyone off the couches. We all jumped around, swaying to the music, completely forgetting about everything.

That is, until Lily's snowy owl rapped on the window. I followed her over there, and as we let the owl in I slipped an arm around her. I don't know how I knew, there's definitely no seer blood in my family, but I had a horrible gut feeling about that letter.

She slit it open quickly, not seeming to have any of my doubts.

_Will Miss Evans and please be in my office by the end of the hour. This is a matter of utmost urgency._

_ -Headmaster Dumbledore_

_p.s. – I enjoy ginger snaps._

My arms tightened around her as I read over her shoulder. She turned to look at me, curiosity burning in her eyes.

"What do you think?" She asked.

I shook my head and set my jaw. "I don't know." I went to Sirius and tried to be heard above the music. "Lily and I have to go. Don't let them make a horrible mess while we're gone."

He nodded, and I pulled Lily out into the hall.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Miss Evans, Mr. Potter. If you would please sit down."

I didn't like that tone. Why was he using that tone?

"Professor," I asked, looking around and seeing no signs of emergency, "May I ask what has happened?"

He looked down his spectacles at me with a weariness that I had never seen on his face before. He actually looked like an old man. It worried me.

James squeezed my hand.

"Very well, Miss Evans," Dumbledore sighed, sitting carefully in his own chair. "I see you will not allow me to think about the phrasing any longer."

He stopped and looked at me. What was that in his eyes?

Was that _pity_?

He started again. "Miss Evans, we have just received knowledge that your parents have…passed on."

I should probably be reacting right now.

You know, screaming, tears, destruction.

Why am I just sitting here calmly?

I was barely aware of James's hand tightening around mine. There was something I needed to know first. Something that I had to be told before I lost my senses and sobbed into his shoulder.

"Was it _him_?"

"No."

I looked up in shock.

"It was a very unfortunate accident," he said gently, looking at me. "There was a fire in the house—"

I gasped. "They _burned_?"

They were _ashes_? I would never get to see them again.

"No, no, they did not," he reassured me. "They were away from the fire. It ignited during the night, and they had already died from fumes before a neighbor called for help."

James's hand was vice-like around mine. I didn't mind. I was beginning to shudder involuntarily.

"I'm sorry, Lily," Dumbledore said, his deep voice resonating throughout the room.

Suddenly James's arms were tight around me. I shook uncontrollably, staining his robes with salty tears and snot. How could this happen? A fire in the middle of the night? Why didn't the fire alarms go off? Dad checks them every month, I know he does.

Something was very wrong here.

It just didn't add up.

If those alarms went off, then Mum and Dad would most definitely have woken and gotten out. And if those alarms didn't go off…well, there's no way. Dad checks them all the time. They _had_ to have gone off.

"I want to go look," I told Dumbledore, suddenly finding a strong voice to use.

"Lily," James started, concerned, "Are you sure you want to go over there—"

"If it was really a muggle thing then it should be safe," I said, glaring at both of them, daring them to tell me no. "I want to go look."

They both just stared at me for a long moment before Dumbledore spoke.

"Very well, Miss Evans. You may go look."

"I'm going with her professor."

He nodded. "Naturally."

Dumbledore pulled a long, red and gold feather from beneath his desk and tapped it. It glowed blue for a moment before it settled.

"Whenever you are ready, Miss Evans," he said, nodding to the feather. "Do not loose it. It will protect you."

I nodded, and looked at James. We stepped forward and both of us gripped the feather.

xxxxxxxxx

We hurtled to a stop in back of a tiny house. There were fences all around that masked our arrival. It must have snowed again here during the night. The blinding white covered everything, even though you could see the soot on the inside of the windows.

I took Lily's hand and looked down at her.

She was staring at the house, tears coursing down her face. I didn't know what to do, so I wrapped my arms around her as tightly as I could. We stood that way for a long time. "Do you want to go inside?"

She nodded slowly, and I let her lead me in through the unhinged door. A draft blew in behind us and picked up some of the soot, disturbing the surreal quality of the room. She stopped dead in the center and looked about. I tried to be as unobtrusive as I could. I mean, she's looking at what's left of her _home_.

She looked at all the muggle things after a while, the ones that run on elektisty, and then she wandered into the next room. I followed her, watching her face darken.

She was looking up at a hole in the ceiling. Well, I suppose it wasn't a hole, it was a circular box jutting _out_ of the ceiling actually, but the point was that she was fascinated by it. And it did look funny. It was broken in halves, and there were colored plastic strings curling out of it.

There was a sudden crash in the kitchen.

We both whirled and gripped our wands.

A loud curse preceded a ginger man as he hopped into the room, nursing a foot and carrying several bags of odd contraptions. He stopped dead when he saw us.

"Oh, um…hello," he said, dumping the bags and attempting to straighten. "You must be Lily."

She nodded, and I gripped my wand more tightly, inching in front of her.

"Arthur Weasley," he said, holding his hand out to us.

"Weasley?" I asked. I knew that name.

I pulled my wand.

"Yes, um, Weasley," he said, looking nervously at my wand. "You might not remember me…I graduated quite a few years ago, now, about six, actually…"

"What are you doing with my parents' circuits, Arthur Weasley?" Lily asked, eyes narrowing as she pulled her wand too.

"Well," he said, growing red as his hair and dropping both hands, "I'm new att he Ministry…Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, you see, and I wanted to look into this more closely."

Lily suddenly looked very interested in what he had to say, but I didn't drop my wand like she did.

"How closely?"

"Well, Miss Evans," Weasley said nervously, "No one at the Ministry knows muggle contraptions well enough…but I know a fair bit about them, and, being as a witch came from this household, they sent me down with my boss to take a look around. But my boss has no idea about muggle things, not really, he's a hundred and five, says it was much easier in the old days when all muggles had were candlesticks and caridges—"

"Get on with it, Weasley," I said, bored with the nervous babbling.

"Yes, well," he said, wringing his hands for lack of anything else to do with them, "I hate to tell you this now, Miss Evans, what with their passing still so recent, but, I… don't believe that this was a muggle accident."

Lily seemed to be relieved.

"I didn't think so, either," she said, looking about the room again. "But what makes you think so, Weasley?"

"Oh please," he said, stepping forward as I lowered my wand, "call me Arthur." And then he started on an excited ramble. "The doors are unlocked, I don't believe that's normal, and then there's the appliances, none of them seem to have caused a fire, and the upstairs, well, the fire didn't get that far, but there are several things out of place there, too, things that would have encouraged a fire if they got ignited before the muggle water trucks came, and then there's this box here," he said, finally pausing for dramatic effect.

It was the box Lily had been looking at. The broken one with the curling plastic strips.

Lily nodded grimly. "I know."

Weasley nodded back at her. "I'm sorry."

She looked down and bit her lip.

I turned to Weasley. "What's so important about that box?"

He looked at me. "Well, that's the fire box," he said.

I looked at him, confused. "The fire box?'

"Yes," he said, shaking his head in apology, "That may not have been the best explanation. You see, muggles are quite ingenious, they come up with the most fascinating ways to get along without magic. A toaster, for instance, who would have thought of making a machine to toast bread? Why, one little charm and it's perfectly brown-"

"It's a fire detector, James," Lily cut in, finally looking away from it to find me. "It lets you know when there's a fire in the house, so that everyone can get out safely."

"Oh," I said, looking back up at the box. The way those plastic strips were curling about the halves didn't look healthy. "And is this one in working order?"

She shook her head. "This one's been tampered with."

Oh.

The three of us just stood there after that.

It seemed I wasn't the only one who didn't know what to say.

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I hope you all liked it!

And THANKYOU to everyone who reviewed! I absolutely love reading the reviews. I get so excited and they brighten my day.

Also, thank you to everyone who added me to their favorites/alerts lists. That is always awesome!


	25. Love Be NOT Blind, It Hit the Mark

Hello everyone!

Chapter 25 here. Such a milestone. So to celebrate we have eight pages of Lily and James goodness. It turns out Lily is a bit more of an introvert when she's dealing with loss. Who knew? I was expecting her to scream and cry, honestly. But she's a very reasonable girl, and I suppose she's starting to learn how to identify love, so you'll see the results of that. She seems to go full circle with her thoughts in this chapter.

A big thank you goes out to all my reviewers, who are absolutely awesome. If you write as well, you know how exciting it is to get reviews. Thank you all so much!

And thank you to everyone who added me to their favorites/alerts lists. You are also awesome. I'm so glad that people are interested in the story and want to keep up with it.

So, last month I got 4,000 hits on my story. Do you think we can top that this month? Let's give it a go, yeah?

Anyways, here it is, I hope you enjoy!

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Love is a bit odd, isn't it?

I mean, half the time you don't even know you feel it until it's gone.

The object of your love, I mean, of course the actual love isn't ever gone. That stays with you, tortures you, until you curse yourself for not realizing it until there was nothing you could do about it.

Mum and Dad are gone, and there's nothing I can do about it.

I can't send them an extra letter every week, just to show them I miss them. I can't hug them extra tight when I see them at King's Cross. I can't spend next Christmas with them like I promised. I most certainly can't tell them that they're in danger because I'm their daughter, and that they need to try to watch out for themselves.

That time has passed.

All I can do now is find out who did this to them.

And try to realize that I love someone before that person is taken away again.

That's all I can do now.

xxxxxxxx

"Weasley?" Sirius asked, "That one seventh year ginger when we were just starting out?"

The four of us sat around the coffee table in the Heads' quarters. It was just plain stupid to sit in the Gryffindor common room now. We had too many things to discuss that would draw attention.

"Yeah, I remember him," Remus said, thinking hard. "Tall, wasn't he?"

I shrugged. "He didn't seem taller than any other bloke when we ran into him," I said, "But that might just be that we were a lot smaller the last time we saw him."

Sirius nodded, "Good point. You probably are thinking of the right bloke, Moony."

Peter was looking around the room as though hoping a picture of Weasley would pop up on one of Lily's bulletin boards. He wasn't the only one who stared blankly when I first mentioned the name, but he seemed at a complete loss to remember anything about the bloke.

Fair enough, really. I mean, if I recall correctly, Peter did spend the first year hiding as best he could. We didn't even know that the fourth bed was for him until a month into the semester.

"Lily talked to Alice," I told them, looking around to gauge how this next bit of information would b received, "And apparently he's her brother-in-law. Married to Molly Prewitt and working at the Ministry, just like he told us."

"The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, then?" Sirius asked thoughtfully. "That could be interesting, couldn't it…"

"Well," Remus said, recognizing that Sirius could contemplate that thought for a while, "I'm sure your flying motorbike idea might constitute a misuse, Padfoot."

Sirius scowled. "I suppose no one needs to know then. It's just that it could be an interesting place to work, that's all I'm saying."

I grinned. "Glad to see you thinking of your future, Padfoot, but let's get back to business. We've got a mystery on our hands, and we can't forget about the Slytherins, either, Dumbledore told me not to get lax, especially with Lily's protection—"

"Yeah," Sirius interjected, "like you're capable of being less than ridiculously overprotective of Lily. Did you tell her that's why you invited her to stay for Christmas, or does she still think you were just being romantic?"

I glared. "I was being both, and for your information, some girls think that being protected _is_ romantic—"

"Okay!" Remus said, raising both hands and his voice in an effort to stop the debate, "Let's get back to the present, shall we? We need to look into Lily's parents, or at least talk to Dumbledore about getting the Ministry over there, keep tabs on the Slytherins now that they're extra mad at us all, and make sure that Lily is as safe as a baby kangaroo."

I wasn't the only one who raised an eyebrow at that.

"What's a baby kangaroo?" Peter asked.

"And why are they safe?" Sirius added.

Remus sighed. I don't think he always realizes that we don't have any of the muggle schooling that his mum insisted on, back when they didn't think he could come to Hogwarts.

"A kangaroo is an animal that carries its baby in a pouch on its belly, where the child is safe until it can move around on its own."

I stared at him.

Then I blinked.

"So the point is, it's really safe?"

"Yes, that's the point."

"Why couldn't you have just said that?" Peter asked.

Remus blushed a bit, "Well, I was on a roll listing things, and a simile seemed to be in good order."

He got three more blank stares.

"What's a simile?"

He blushed a little more. "Oh, never mind."

I looked around at everyone for a moment, then decided to drop it. "Alright then, back to business. Moony, did you write down the agenda as you said the list?"

"I've got it right here," he said, pushing it toward me.

Sirius frowned. "How much do we trust this Arthur Weasley character? Because I think we'll have to trust him with the investigation."

"Why's that?" Peter asked, "We could still help with it."

"We could try, but I don't think we'll be much help. I love Muggle Studies, but I know that there's plenty that I don't have a clue about in the muggle world, and, no offense, but you're all worse in it than I am. Well, maybe you'd be a good help, Moony."

Remus shook his head. "I was removed from that world so long ago, and I never learned anything about how wires and circuitry work. I'd be just as hopeless as the rest of you."

"So we'll talk to Alice again about her brother-in-law," I said, adding my clumsy scrawl to Remus's list. "He sounds like our only option. I mean, we can't even leave the school anyway, there's no way for us to even go over there and look around again."

Remus looked at me intently. "Lily's sure that the fire detector was tampered with?"

I nodded.

He let out a breath. "Well then I'm sure this Weasley will find more things to look at. But for all we know, this could have been other muggles."

"Lily said something about muggle law enforcement. Apparently they have to find the cause of the fire before they can close the case," I told them.

Remus nodded. "And will they let her know what they find?"

"She says they should send a formal report. Although how it will get to Hogwarts, I don't know—"

"Forget how it gets to Hogwarts," Sirius said, shaking his head. "The muggles are going to come up with a muggle reason. They don't have any other explanations. We can't really trust their conclusion."

I looked at him. "You're right," I admitted in defeat.

"No," Remus said. "They will find a muggle explanation, but we can tell a lot by how long it takes them, and they might be completely stumped. That would tell us that it was magic."

"I think the Death Eaters might have actually covered their tracks this time, if it was them. Weasley said that there were things out of place that would have encouraged a fire. That would make it look like a muggle thing."

"That could also mean that it _was_ a muggle thing," Remus said. "And how would Death Eaters know to tamper with a fire detector? They consider all muggle things beneath them."

"But what could the Evans's have done to have other muggles come after them?"

We all looked at each other.

It was obvious that I was going to have to have a very difficult conversation with Lily.

xxxxxxx

Dinner was fantastic.

The boys brought a box of 's Famous Fireworks down to the Great Hall, and put some on every house table so that it would be a Marauder prank. It was great to watch the fireworks go off.

And most of all it was great to see the boys looking like boys again. It's been so long since I've seen such carefree smiles on their faces.

And that's the moment that I realized.

"Cover your ears," James had told me.

I had given him a quizzical look, but I did as I was told.

A minute later, the bangs and sparks were filling the Great Hall, exploding over house tables in beautiful rainbows of color. And when I openly laughed with them for the first time, and James turned to me with that carefree smile that I hadn't seen in ages, that's when I knew it.

And I have to tell him.

If I've learned anything at all from all this, it's that I have to tell him before it's too late to say anything at all.

I kissed him right there in the Great Hall, and I heard a few cat-calls around us as the applause for the fireworks started to die out. He grinned and held me tight as I pulled away for air, and I wondered how I'd tell him.

I kept thinking about it as we walked back up to the dorms, hand in hand as he talked animatedly with the boys. I looked up at his face. It's been so long since I've seen him so carefree.

I hadn't realized how much I loved it.

How much I loved _him_.

So how am I going to do it?

How do I tell James Potter that I'm not only infatuated with him, but that I love him completely with all my heart and soul and that there's nothing either one of us will ever be able to do about it?

xxxxxxxxxx

She was lounging on the couch, obviously trying to look comfortable and failing miserably at it. How could she be comfortable? Her parents just died! I mean, I'd be a complete wreck if it was me.

Add to it the whole circumstance, unnatural deaths with clear foul-play and uncertain suspects, and anyone should be a right mess.

And now I'm going to have to upset her even more.

Well, it's for her own good. I _am_ trying to help her.

I sat on the other end of the couch and pulled her against me as tightly as I could, holding her there, trying to comfort her, putting off the moment when I had to ask.

She sighed against my chest and buried her face in my robes. Oh, I can't do it. I can't be the one who says this to her. But who is going to, then? It's a conversation that needs to be had, after all. If I don't do it someone will have to.

Who?

That Arthur Weasley bloke?

She barely knows him. She can't talk about the potentially seedy people in her parents' life with some bloke she doesn't know. No, I have to do it. That way she only has to have the conversation once, and then I can tell people for her. No sense in tearing the wound open more times than necessary.

"Lily?"

Nothing. I tried again.

"Lily?"

I craned my neck to look down at her as her face was still half hidden in robes. She was asleep. I breathed deeply, both relieved and disappointed. It would have been awkward, yes, but it would have been over.

I closed my own eyes as I waited for her to wake, just stroking her hair softly and breathing in her scent.

xxxxxxxx

"Nothing."

"_Nothing_?"

"Nothing."

Remus blew out a breath and leaned back in his chair. "She's sure?"

I nodded.

"Maybe her parents were doing something illegal that she didn't know about?" Peter suggested.

"I don't know," I said, putting my head in my hands. "_She_ doesn't know. Honest to Merlin, she was trying really hard to come up with something, anything, to blame it on muggles."

"But why would she want to blame it on the muggles?" Peter asked, completely confused.

I sighed. She never said the reason, but I still knew.

"If it's muggles, then it's not her fault."

"If it's wizards, it's still not her fault," Sirius answered me.

"_I_ know that, mate, but she doesn't. And she won't listen to me when I try to tell her."

We were all silent for a moment.

"You're _sure_?"

"No, Padfoot, I'm not sure. I have no way to be sure. If her parents were doing something illegal, which I highly doubt, then why would Lily know about it? I mean, if Mum and Dad are brewing illegal potions in the basement while I'm away at Hogwarts do you think they would just write me about it?"

"Calm down, Prongs," Remus said, "We're all trying to think of what to do."

I breathed deeply. "Sorry."

"No harm done, mate," Sirius said, clapping me on the back as he got up to walk out the door.

"Where are you going?" Remus called after him.

"For a walk."

xxxxxxxx

"Lily?"

Deep male voice.

Just not the one that told me I was about to be swept into a tight hug that could make me forget all my problems.

"Lily, I get it. You don't want to talk to James about stuff like this. But I'm different."

"Are you?" I asked, turning and looking him in the eye.

He surveyed me for a moment. "Evans, take a look at what I've got for family. Death Eaters and inbred, pure-blood maniacs. There's nothing you can tell me about your family that will make me think any less of you. In fact, if you can tell me that they might not be your parents' murderers, I would probably love you."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I've already got a Marauder, thanks," I said, turning and starting to walk away.

He caught my arm. "Lily. Please."

What is it about Sirius Black?

He's always so calm and collected on the surface, you'd never imagine that he has such depth when he's chatting up a girl or directing some prank in the Great Hall. But somehow, when he really needs it, he knows how to connect to people on the most basic level.

And it always makes me spill what I don't want anyone to know, things that I swore I would take to the grave.

"There was this family that lived across the street," I started. He stared through the whole story, but his eyes didn't widen once. Not once did I see any judgment cross his face, or disgust in his eyes.

Not once.

He took my arm again when I finished my confession, and gently guided me toward another deserted hallway. "So how much of this am I allowed to tell James?"

I think he understood the anguish in my eyes.

"Don't worry, he's heard worse."

A few tears started to fall.

"Please don't tell him."

"Lily—"

"I want to tell him I love him," I blurted before I thought it through.

Damn! What is it about Sirius that makes me spill my guts?

"I-I mean," I stuttered, blushing and looking down as I tried to explain myself, "Before he realizes that I come from a horrible family and decides that he doesn't want me anymore."

Sirius just shook his head. "I thought you were supposed to be smart, Lils. When are you going to get it into your head that you are _never_ going to get rid of James? You two are going to die together, I can tell you that right now. And if he judged people by their families, do you think he would have given _me_ a chance?"

He was right, of course. James judges people by their own actions, and nothing else.

Well, unless the person is a Slytherin, then he judges them on that, but that's the one exception to his open-mindedness.

"How do I tell him?"

"About what, the love or the twisted family?"

"Both."

"Well, if some girl was saying this to me, I would want to hear the love thing second. End on a happy note, you know?"

I nodded. "End on a happy note…right."

"Come on," he said, slinging an arm around my shoulders and leading me back to my dorm. "I'll walk you back. We can't have you wandering on your own."

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When I walked into our sitting room with Sirius, the rest of the boys were hunched over the table. No doubt hatching some sort of plan.

"Moony, Wormtail, the Head boy and girl need some time to talk," Sirius announced, not venturing more than a few feet into the room. "_Alone_."

Peter and Remus immediately complied and got up to say their goodbye's.

"Oh, and James," Sirius called as they turned to go, "Lily is going to tell you about her family. Just so you don't chicken out, Lils." He gave me a stern look and then left the room.

The door magically vanished behind him as it always did when people exited, but this time it had an uncomfortable finality. I mean, I was alone with James and I had to tell him about my issues.

This is going to be horrible.

"Well, Lily," James said, collapsing onto the couch and patting the seat next to him. "What were you so embarrassed about?"

I shivered slightly, then remembered what Sirius said. If James would forgive Sirius _his_ family, then surely he could forgive me mine.

"Well, it all started two summers ago, when some new neighbors moved in across the street," I glanced up to gauge his reaction to this plain beginning. He nodded for me to go on. "And, well, it's always been really humiliating but…my parents are…swingers."

"Swingers?"

"Um, yeah."

"Wow, Mr. and Mrs. Evans are a lot more adventurous that I would have thought."

"Were," I corrected softly.

He blushed. "Sorry."

"It's okay, it's not like it's your fault. Actually, like I was saying, they were swingers, and then a couple years ago we got some new neighbors…at first they were all for it, but—"

"Who, the new neighbors were all for the swinging?"

"Yeah, it gets to be a sort of neighborhood party, it's absolutely disgusting."

James grinned impishly. "Ah, come on, Lily, I'm sure it wasn't all that bad."

"It might have turned into murder."

That sobered him up pretty quickly. "Right, sorry. Keep going with the story."

"Well, so after a while, one of the new neighbors, I think his name was Tom, got a little too interested in Mum. She didn't return the sentiment, of course, she only really loves Dad but they think that this 'keeps things interesting,' whatever that means—"

"Lily, you're rambling," James cut in.

"Right, sorry. Well, this Tom fellow got a little too interested in Mum, and his wife, Janice, well, Mum said she was a bit of the jealous kind. And by a bit I mean a lot," I clarified, blushing and not daring to look into his eyes.

"Hmm," James said softly, "So we could be dealing with a crime of passion."

I did look up at that. "They're my _parents_, James, not some random mystery on Clue."

"Right, sorry…what's Clue?"

I groaned. "Nevermind." It took me a moment to pluck up my courage again, but eventually I managed to form the words. "Aren't you…repulsed by that at all?"

"What, your swingin' parents?" He grinned, "Naw, although I should probably tell you right now, Lily, I have no intention of sharing you with anyone. Ever."

I sighed in relief.

"But really, Lily, there was no reason for you to be embarrassed to tell me that," he said more seriously, pulling me close and tipping my chin up so that he could see into my eyes. "Nothing about your family could turn me off, Lily. I love you."

This is my chance, right?

The perfect opening.

"I love you, too," I said. It was easier to say out loud when I let myself fall into his big, hazel eyes.

The atmosphere in the room changed completely in about half a second.

I was expecting a kiss, but instead he just stared.

After a few minutes, He leaned in very close, slowly, almost hesitantly, and I got that gentle kiss I was hoping for. I felt him shaking.

"Say it again," he whispered. I could feel something akin to pain in his voice. I'm not sure whether this is a good reception or not, yet, but I repeated it anyway.

"I love you, James."

He kissed me again, deeper, but still somehow hesitant.

"Say it again," he begged.

"I love you, James."

He kissed me again, and that's when I recognized it.

It wasn't hesitance at all, it was intense joy that he was desperately trying to control.

He pulled away again, but this time I didn't wait for him to ask. I could feel his need to hear the words.

"I love you, James."

And his lips were on mine again, sweet and warm.

"I love you, James."

Another kiss.

"I love you, James Potter."

And I felt the dam break. I knew the exact moment that his carefully constructed barriers fell, and I couldn't help but welcome his emotions and match them with my own. The intensity left me breathless.

When he finally pulled away, the sudden abundance of oxygen was overwhelming and I found myself dizzier than before. I leaned into his chest as I tried to catch my breath. His scent soothed me.

"You told me before," I murmured softly into his chest, "but why didn't you show me?"

How could he have kept the depth and intensity of his feelings from me? Shouldn't I have been able to feel it before?

"I didn't want to scare you. You would have run away."

He was right. I was suddenly very angry at myself.

All this time, I didn't know the love I could have had. _I'm_ to blame for losing that time in his arms.

"I'm sorry."

He chuckled. "It's alright, love. You know now."

I snuggled in closer to his chest. I don't know what I did to deserve such a wonderful person, but I silently thanked God and Merlin and anyone else who might have been responsible.

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I hope you liked it!


	26. Frailty Thy Name Is 'Muggle'

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 26 here! So, here we have James and Lily, interacting with each other and their world as only James and Lily can. They have very distinct personalities, don't they? But anyways, the issue of the Evans' murder continues, and Lily is doing a very good job of putting up a front about it, but she's going to have to break down eventually. At least I think she'll break down eventually. She doesn't in this chapter, but we'll see how long she can handle her façade.

Of course, a huge thank you goes out to all my reviewers, especially, _Queenie's Broken Heart, Hello-again 931, Fi, , EnglishGrlVerity, victoriam549, SecretlyAGryffindor, lana-bear, and hplover_. Thank you all so much! Your reviews were fantastic!

And another big thank you goes out to everyone who liked my story enough to add it to their favorites/alerts lists. That always makes me feel good about my story, so thank you.

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When I woke I couldn't help kissing Lily into consciousness. Just soft little kisses along her neck, but it woke her, all the same. And I bet it was a better way to wake than listening to that infernal coo-coo-clock she has in her room.

She stirred and snuggled in closer to my chest.

"Wake up, love, the world didn't stop just because you finally realized what I knew in first year. We still have to get to transfiguration on time," I said cheekily as I stroked her hair.

Honestly, I would love to stay here with her all day and never move.

She groaned and rolled over. "You are never going to let me live that down, are you?" She asked sleepily.

"What? That I knew we were meant to be _years_ before you did?" I asked, grinning as she nodded. "Oh no, sweetheart, because this officially means I'm smarter than you."

"I don't even have enough energy to argue that right now. Can you repeat it after I've had breakfast? And maybe lunch?"

I grinned and pulled her close. Merlin I love sleeping next to this girl. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said back, burying her face deeper into my chest.

If I said that I live to hear her say that, it wouldn't do the joy justice.

It wasn't until twenty minutes later that we were both running to transfiguration, without any breakfast. Maybe that coo-coo-clock does have its uses after all.

We rushed into our seats as the bell rang, and for once McGonagall didn't even bother glaring at us. Huh. I guess being late with _Lily_ makes it okay, but being late with _Sirius_ doesn't.

Oh well, at least now I know.

We were barely taking notes for thirty seconds before Sirius's writing appeared on my parchment.

_So we were thinking that the best way to take care of the Slytherins right now is to make sure everyone else stays on patrol – SB_

_Why?_ I scribbled back, hoping McGonagall didn't notice. She's a real stickler about passing notes, and she always notices.

_So that the four of us can keep up with watching Lily and figuring out what happened to her mum and dad, dunderhead – SB_

Oh yeah.

_Right, right. So we'll need to draw up another patrol schedule, right? – JP_

_ No, Remus, Peter and I were working on that this morning. We didn't need to make many changes to the old one, honestly – SB_

_ Well that's a relief. How are we going to get everyone to a meeting tonight, then? We definitely can't send owls – JP_

_ Oh no, that's too easy to intercept. And unreliable. We need them to know by tonight, and some of those school owls can't even fly straight – SB_

I sighed to myself. _Well, we could always just find people in the halls—_

The paper disappeared from under my hand.

I looked up. I hadn't noticed McGonagall walking our way.

"What have we here, Mr. Potter?" She asked sternly as she looked over our note. I tried to stay calm-looking, for the sake of keeping up appearances in class. I knew we wouldn't really get in trouble, but she might have to do _something_ if I looked too guilty.

"My notes, Professor?" I asked, pretending to be confused.

She frowned at the note for a moment longer before she said, "Excellent notes, Mr. Potter. See me after class so that I can copy them for Mr. Patil."

"Why—"

"Madam Pomfrey has already informed me that he has been in the infirmary and won't be attending classes today," She told me with a silencing glare.

I listened to what the glare told me. I was silent.

Class finally ended, and I shuffled up to the front of the room. "Yes, Professor?"

"Potter, into my office, please, we don't want anyone to overhear," she said quietly. I shuffled in behind her and she closed the door.

"Now, then. I have the solution to your problem. _I_ will inform your group of the meeting tonight. Now, I assume that Miss Vance, Miss McKinnon and Mr. Longbottom are the only ones you might have trouble reaching?"

She knew everyone that was in the group? I mean, the Gryffindors make sense, but how did she know all the others? I made up my mind to ask and started only to be cut-off.

"Well, of course, the headmaster has his ways of knowing things, Potter, and naturally he tells me so that I can keep an eye on you. Now, Miss Vance, Miss McKinnon and Mr. Longbottom, then? Am I missing any?"

"No, Professor, the rest are Gryffindors."

"Very well, then. Fortunately I shall see them all in class today. Now move along then, you don't want to rush into your _next_ class just as the bell rings."

She ushered me out of her office just as the classroom was beginning to fill with new students. I bolted off to the charms corridor.

And I didn't rush in just as the bell rang.

I rushed in right after.

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"Okay," Lily said, standing and clearing her throat. "We all know why we're here. Everyone at this table has agreed to spy on the Slytherins to try to stop them from attacking anyone else."

She paused and looked down at me, hoping for support.

She got that support from Sirius.

"So you'll all be wondering why James, Lily, and I aren't on the schedule. Well, Lily's recently…suffered a major loss…" he glanced toward her right then, trying to gauge her reaction. When she didn't blanch he continued, trying to make his voice lighter, "And Dumbledore has decided that our lovely Lily needs to be protected. James and I will be seeing to that."

I could tell that Longbottom, Vance, and McKinnon had questions. Only the boys and Alice had been told about Lily's parents. Longbottom was the only one to say anything though, and he asked the most tactful question.

"Is Lily going to be alright?"

"Yes," Sirius and I both answered at the same time.

Although honestly I was a bit more vehement.

Longbottom just nodded, and pulled one of the schedules toward him. "So we'll be taking a couple of extra shifts? That's fine by me."

"Me too," Marlene added, pulling another schedule toward herself.

"I'm okay with that," Emmeline added, nodding and avoiding Sirius's eye. After a moment, he stopped trying to get her attention.

"Actually," I said, standing to make sure I had their attention, "Dumbledore thinks that the whole plan from last week was to get at Lily, not William Smethy." Alice's eyes got a little bug-eyed, I guess Lily hadn't told her that. "So that's why we're taking this extra precaution."

"Makes sense," Emmmeline said, "You annoy the hell out of them, Lily. They can't stand that there's a muggle-born at Hogwarts that's smarter than they are."

Sirius and Frank both snorted. "It's not hard to be smarter than a Slytherin," Sirius said cuttingly. To which Frank nodded his head vigorously.

Awesome display of unity, but we really need to get back on topic.

"Well, anyways, is there any problem with the schedules? You guys can definitely rearrange the extra shifts if you find that you have one you can't make. I mean, we have _three_ people out of rotation now, that's a lot of slack to pick up—"

"James, we can handle it," Marlene cut in.

"Right…right. Well, I suppose that's it for the meeting then," I said in a falsely chipper voice. "Who's up for a butterbeer?"

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"So." Lily said.

"So?" I asked, knowing she was about to start.

"So you two are just going to babysit me then?"

Sirius and I both nodded.

She groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "Why me?"

"Because James fell in love with you, Miss Lily," Sirius answered her smartly. She glared in response.

"Really, though," she sighed, "Why are they so intent on getting _me_?"

"Because you're everything that they don't want a muggle-born to be, love," I told her earnestly. "You're beautiful, and brilliant, and dating the hottest guy in Hogwarts—"

"Excuse me? I am most definitely the hottest guy in Hogwarts—"

"Are not!"  
"Am too!"

"Are not!"

"Well, Sirius, you had two girls at our meeting ogling you, James, you only had me," Lily cut in.

"No fair! There were only—_You_ were _ogling_ me, Lily?" Her words finally registered in my brain.

She nodded, giving me that beautiful smile of hers.

I wrapped my arms around her but turned to face Sirius. "You can have all the other girls at Hogwarts, Padfoot, I've got the one I want."

"Hermes!" Lily suddenly yelled, drowning out Sirius's reply as she ran to throw the window open. "Do you have news for me?"

The snowy owl hooted and dropped a letter into her outstretched hand before flying into the room and settling on my shoulder.

"How come Hermes likes you better than me?" Lily and Sirius both pouted at the same time.

I laughed. "Well, I transfigured him, remember?"

There were disgruntled mumbles in response and then Lily slit her letter open and began to read. I watched light and dark play across her face as she went through the letter.

"Well?" I finally asked, losing my patience.

"They've found a cause for the fire," She said, looking up. "Entirely muggle."

"Well of course it's entirely muggle!" Sirius burst out, exasperated, "It's the muggle law enforcement!"

Lily shook her head. "No, Sirius, this is from the Ministry. Arthur Weasley's been down to check, and the cause was entirely muggle. But…"

"What?" I nearly whispered. I'm not sure why I whispered but I suddenly realized that I was standing right next to her anyway and she heard the whisper easily.

"But he still suspects some sort of foul play," She whispered back, looking up at me as I slipped me arms around her waist.

No one said anything for what seemed like a long time.

No one knew what to say.

I mean, if what Lily told us before is any indication, then she already knows who murdered her parents. Some muggle named Tom or his wife, Janice.

I was really hoping for someone to break the silence, but Sirius seemed to have decided that it was not his place to speak and Lily was speechless.

"The muggles then?" I asked as softly as I could, as if asking the question more quietly would make it more tactful. "Tom and Janice?"

She turned to me and nodded.

After another endless silence I asked, "How do you feel, sweetheart?"

She took a moment, then collected her breath and looked up at me.

"Relieved."

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Disgusted though I was at that relief, it was short-lived anyway.

Two days later, Hermes was rapping at the window again, and even as I went to let him in I dreaded the letter in his claws.

I pried the letter open.

_Miss Evans,_

_I'm deeply sorry to inform you that there has been an unfortunate development in the case of your parents' deaths. According to the muggle law enforcement, the suspects are pleading something called 'temporary insanity.' While this may seem an unsubstantial muggle defense, it does require further investigation by the Ministry of Magic as it bears resemblance to the effects of an Unforgiveable Curse. _

_Please be assured that we are investigating the case thoroughly and will inform you of any further developments in a timely fashion._

_My Condolences,_

_Pertius Stovepipe_

_Head Warlock of the High Court_

_Ministry of Magic_

My hand shook slightly as I read, making it difficult to read the words and giving them a surreal quality. That was a good thing, because I don't think I could handle _really_ processing that letter. I don't want this to be Death Eaters, I really don't, and if they're thinking that Tom and Janice were under the Imperius Curse…

I didn't so much sit in the nearest chair as fall into it, and that's when I got Sirius and James's attention. They were by me in a flash.

"Did the owl bring bad news?" James asked, worry evident on his face.

I nodded.

I didn't have words, so I just thrust the letter at him.

I watched his face turn dark as he read. Finally he gave Sirius the letter and took my face in both his hands.

"Now you listen to me, Lily Evans," he said sternly, "This is in _no way_ your fault. Do you hear me? _This isn't your fault_."

I shook my head. How could it not be?

"They _hate_ me, James," I whispered. "This is _all_ my fault."

Sirius clenched the letter in his hand, about to go into some sort of tirade, but James raised a hand to stop him. "No, Lily. This is not your fault at all."

I couldn't believe him, no matter how badly I wanted to.

"I'll keep repeating it until it sinks in, Lils," Sirius added. "It's _not_ your fault."

I didn't realize that I was crying until James started wiping tears from my cheeks. I looked him straight in the eyes.

"I wanted it to be muggles," I confessed in a whisper. "I wanted it _so badly_."

James pulled me into a tight hug, and I knew he wouldn't let go any time soon.

I was completely okay with that.

"It's not your fault."

Right then, I didn't care that it was a lie.

I needed to hear the lie.

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"So we're going to have to go to the Ministry, then?"

"You don't have to come, James, I'm a big girl, I can handle it—"

"Really, Lily? You think they're any way that you can keep me from coming with you?"

I sighed. Of course he wanted to come. He wanted to be supportive.

I understand that, I really do, but he's wasting too much time on me.

"James, I will be fine on my own."

"No. You won't. You need me there for moral support and protection."

"I do not need moral support or protection," I snapped as I raised a hand to knock on Dumbledore's door. "I can handle myself—"

"Come in," came a strong, clear voice.

James held the door for me and we both stepped inside.

"Miss Evans, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore greeted, nodding at us both. "Won't you both sit down?"

"How are you, Professor?" James asked as he took his seat.

"Quite well, thank you," Dumbledore answered, though his expression didn't tell me that he was in a good mood. In fact, I'm nearly certain that he has bad news about Mum and Dad for me. "I must talk to you briefly, however, about the little excursion you will be taking into the muggle world."

"Professor," I interrupted at this opportunity, "I know that you're concerned about any possible mistakes that we might make with muggle contact, but I can assure you that won't be a problem."

"Not at all, Miss Evans, I have complete faith in your ability to interact with muggles. In fact I am counting on your prowess to guide Mr. Potter and Professor McGonagall. I have more important matters to discuss."

"Professor McGonagall?"  
"Yes, she will be accompanying you as an extra precaution. I do not believe it wise to allow you out of Hogwarts unattended, Miss Evans, you are, as they say, a hot commodity."

James blanched at that. I felt more than saw him tense, and I hurried to cut off his tirade at that epithet.

"Really, Headmaster, I should be fine—"

"Lily, you most certainly will not be fine. You will be accompanied by Professor McGonagall and I will not hear any complaints from you. Now, Mr. Potter, as for your role in the matter—"

"Only Professor McGonagall?" James cut him off. "Why not more? They're _after_ her, Professor, surely you see the danger."

"I do indeed, James, but I believe that Professor McGonagall will be enough protection for the time being."

"But, _why_? Why would that be enough protection? If you're counting me, Professor, I know I won't be good enough to keep her safe from twenty Death Eaters—"

"James, calm down. There will not be twenty Death Eaters."

"But how do you _know_?" He insisted, pounding a fist on his armrest, "You don't know, do you? You're just guessing—"

"James! Calm down!" I said, pulling him back down into his chair as he was standing. I mean, what was he going to do? Threaten Dumbledore? "Sorry, Professor," I apologized for him.

"Quite alright, Lily, and quite understandable. Unfortunately, there is a reason why I know that you will not be pursued with…I suppose I shall call it, the greatest of Voldemort's forces."

And then he just stopped.

I waited for a moment.

Then I waited another moment.

I might have been able to hold out a little longer, but James was bursting next to me so I spoke for him again. "Are you going to tell us this reasoning, Professor?"

Dumbledore's brow furrowed, and his eyes clouded over. "Well, Lily, James, it appears that Voldemort is interested in recruiting both of you."

"Oh," I said, relaxing back into my chair.

"You already knew this," Dumbledore accused.

"I heard Bellatrix Black say it," I shrugged.

James turned to me, finding someone else to direct some anger at. "You _knew_ this?"

"Yes."

"Anything else you would like to share?" James asked, still angry.

"Bellatrix is a Death Eater," I added, deciding to get that out in the open.

Both of them just stared.

"How do you know!" James yelled at the same time that Dumbledore asked, "How did you come across this information?"

"I saw her Dark Mark."

More bug eyes.

"Last week, while she was getting her things to leave," I added, thinking now was a good time to tell the whole story. "Sirius and I were on patrol, watching the Slytherin common room, and we followed her out onto the grounds. And when she walked past us I saw her mark."

They were both silent for a moment before James asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

I shook my head. "I wasn't sure if Sirius saw, and you know how he gets about his family. I didn't want you three to badger him about it if he didn't see."

James just stared.

I didn't know what to say, and I didn't expect to feel guilty about doing what I thought was the best thing. And I really did think it was the best way to handle the situation! But there was just something in his eyes right then, I felt so guilty. I should have told him.

"I'm sorry, James," I whispered.

He shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want Sirius to be upset if he didn't know."

"Well, who did you tell then?" He asked, his voice turning accusatory.

"I didn't tell anyone, James! I really didn't!" And then I remembered Alice. Yeah, it would probably be better not to mention that right now.

He was fuming, but he stopped arguing and turned in his chair to face Dumbledore. "So we'll be going to the muggle court with Professor McGonagall, then, Professor Dumbledore? And she will accompany us to the Ministry of Magic s well?"

I was in trouble, that was for sure. He's never bee this angry at me before.

"Yes, James," Dumbledore said calmly, acting as though I had not just dropped two bombs on them both. "That is correct."

I concentrated on breathing so that I wouldn't have to see James's livid face.

"Is that all, then? Can we go?"

Good Merlin, he loses all sense of tact when he's upset, doesn't he?

Or maybe that's just because he's thinking that I came between him and Sirius.

But I didn't! That's not what I meant at all, and obviously Sirius didn't see, or else he would have been brooding for the past week—

"Yes, you are free to go to lunch."

"Thank you," James said, before sweeping me out of the office.

Oh, yes. I was in trouble.

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I hope you liked it!


	27. The Lady Doth Not Protest Enough

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 27 here! So James and Lily have never had a fight that _Lily_ actually wanted to resolve until now. So this is new to her. And she can't help herself, she has to break from somewhere. She has too much to deal with right now to be able to handle James being upset too. Well, I guess you'll see how her head works.

Thanks to all my reviewers, Pottedlilies, victoriam549, lana-bear, XXJamesLilyXX, kittehuluver96, SecretlyAGryffindor, wolfgirl111, and Soccergirl0809. Thanks so much for the reviews! I get so excited to read my reviews, so please, keep'em coming!

And thank you to everyone who added me to their favorites/alerts lists!

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"Lily Marie Evans!" James hissed, "How could you not tell me that? How could you?"

I didn't know what to say.

I mean, I thought I did the best thing.

"I-I'm sorry, James, I thought that was the best thing to do—"

"How could keeping things from me be the best thing to do, Lily? I don't keep secrets from you!"

"Is that what this is about?" I asked, confused, "You think I'm keeping secrets from you?"

"Well that's what it bloody well looks like, Lily! Do you have another explanation?"

"I, well, I…honestly, my only explanation is that I thought it was the best thing to do."

"Yeah, you keep saying that."

"Because that's the truth, James, that's the whole truth. That was the only reason I didn't tell you."

"Uh-huh," he said sarcastically, still skeptical though he wasn't hissing at me anymore. "And why would that be the best thing? You haven't explained that part yet."

"Well, because I didn't want you to be upset about Voldemort wanting to recruit us, and I figured that Sirius hadn't seen Bellatrix's mark—he would have been sulking and refusing to talk to anyone if he had—so I thought it would be best if no one told him. Merlin, James, I was just trying to do what I thought was best!"

I could still see steam coming off of him in waves.

This has never happened before.

James is never the one who gets angry. _I'm_ always the one who gets angry. I don't know how to deal with his anger.

It's never been directed at me before, and I hate that it is right now.

I don't know what to do to make it right, because I'm still not sure where exactly I went wrong to begin with. How do you look at all the options, choose the best one, and still end up upsetting the love of your life this way?

I have no idea.

He took my arm, I could tell it took him effort to keep the anger from seeping into his touch, and turned me toward our dorm. "Come on, we have to get our things together before McGonagall comes to get us."

"But what about lunch—"

"We'll grab something in the dorm."

xxxxxxxx

"Evans, Potter, I presume you are aware of the danger in which you two may find yourselves?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Well then, start acting like it."

I looked down, not daring to meet her eyes or Lily's. Of course I was still watching out for her, there was no way on Merlin's green earth that I wouldn't be, but I was angry! I'm allowed emotions, aren't I?

I hate to be mad at her, though. I really do.

But how could she do that to me? That was such important information, and to keep it from me like that…

I just don't know how she did it. I would never keep something like that from her.

Well, I guess I did keep Remus's secret from her, but that wasn't my secret to tell.

But this _was_ her secret to tell! If Voldemort wants me I have a right to know. And the other thing, about Bellatrix, I guess she could argue that it wasn't her secret to tell, but it wasn't her secret to keep either.

For that matter, why didn't Sirius tell me? She's right, he couldn't have known about the mark, he would have been brooding if he did, but he must have heard them say that Voldemort wanted to recruit us. Why didn't he tell me?

Well, either way, I have to try to pay attention. Death Eaters could be around any corner. And letting them get to Lily is unacceptable.

I cast a wary glance around the busy street. It was overcrowded, which can only mean that it will be easier for Death Eaters to hide. They're not stupid enough to wear their cloaks and masks in the middle of downtown London.

And, of course, they could be invisible.

Shit.

They _could_ be invisible, couldn't they. Well, I suppose I can look for gaps in between people, see if there's anything conspicuous—

Yes. Right there, between that group of professional-looking muggles. There's an unnecessary gap in the middle.

I got McGonagall's attention and pointed at the gap as inconspicuously as I could.

She nodded almost imperceptibly. If I hadn't been waiting for a response, I would have missed it.

A moment later, I found myself whisked into a quiet shop. McGonagall ushered us to the back corner where it was utterly silent and started to pull out her wand.

"Professor, no," Lily whispered, reaching out a hand to stop her. "There's a video camera right there."

McGonagall and I both looked at her, confused.

"It's a muggle moving picture. If you do magic, they'll see."

"Well then, what do you suggest, Evans?" McGonagall asked quietly.

"What are you trying to do?" Lily asked.

"Disillusion us all."

Lily glanced around for a moment before sudden inspiration lit her face. "The loo, Professor, they won't have cameras in there."

"You want me to go into the girls' loo?" I asked, horrified.

"This shop is as silent as the grave, James, no one will be in there," Lily told me.

"Yeah, which reminds me," I answered, realizing something, "How are we supposed to get back _out_? I mean, the door can't just open on its own."

"Actually, it can," Lily answered me. "There's another door that opens all on its own…I suppose the shop keeper will just assume it malfunctioned for a moment…or maybe that someone was about to walk in…It will be fine, either way. We'll go through the automatic door."

"Stop wasting time, then," McGonagall hissed, clearly anxious. "Let's get a move on to the loo."

I shuffled back to the girls' loo with them both and glanced around surreptitiously before slipping in. In about ten seconds we were walking back out, and I watched the shop keeper to be sure that he didn't look overly suspicious about the magical door that opened on its own.

He didn't look suspicious. In fact, he had glanced up hopefully. I guess Lily was right; he assumed it was a customer coming in.

When we made it back out onto the street, I saw the same group of muggle professionals lingering at a bus stop nearby. That gap was still in the middle. It looked big enough to fit one person comfortably. I looked around for any similar groups.

Nope. Just the one Death Eater, then.

They didn't follow us, so they must not have paid attention to the magic door, or else not seen which shop we went in. Either way, we lost the Death Eater for now.

xxxxxxxxx

It was hard to keep track of McGonagall and James after we disillusioned ourselves, but not impossible. With this disillusionment charm you can still see an odd, water-like movement of the air and colors around the disillusioned person. Using James's cloak would have been better, though. I would have been under the cloak with him _and_ it's better at concealment. But we can't very well tell McGonagall about it, now can we.

I suppressed a groan.

He's still really angry. I can't even see him but I can still feel the anger rolling off of him. I just don't know what to do.

I suppose I could try an apology.

I'm not entirely sure what I would be apologizing for though.

I'm sorry you didn't understand my actions? I'm sorry you didn't see that I was trying to spare everyone?

I'm sorry you're an idiot sometimes?

No, that one definitely won't get me back on his good side.

He thought I was keeping secrets from him, did he? Well how about him? Did he forget the secrets he kept from me? After all, I only found out about the map a couple weeks ago, and the whole animagus thing has barely been a month. He never even told me about Remus, I figured that one out for myself—I have no idea where he thinks he has the right to accuse me of keeping secrets.

And even if I had been, he's obviously been keeping secrets as well! I mean, I just listed three big ones!

Whatever.

If he wants to be mad he can be mad. He can come to me when he's feeling reasonable.

xxxxxxxxx

"Miss Lily Evans and guardian?" A bored voice said from the podium.

McGonagall and I went up quickly, anxious even though we were no longer in danger. I glanced back at James.

He was still sitting on the bench, looking like he would rather be in hell than here with me.

That hurts more than I ever could have imagined.

I mean, just last year, if you told me that I would ache for James Potter's company I would have asked you if you had gotten into some of Slughorn's spare flavored tobacco.

But really, I just don't know what to do. He's been completely unresponsive all day, except for that moment when he realized that we were going to make him go in the girls' loo. What should I do?

Well, I suppose Mum used to tell me that Dad used to react to her the way that he wanted her to react to him.

Mum.

Wow, that just brought me back to reality.

I tried to pay attention to what was going on in front of me.

"Can't we be in to speak to anyone sooner?" McGonagall was arguing in as calm a voice as possible, "We need to be at the muggle Ministry as well, and we can't afford to be late."

"We understand, but unfortunately there is nothing we can do about the appointment, Ms…" The man behind the counter trailed off, waiting for a surname.

"_Professor_ McGonagall," she answered somewhat cuttingly. Then her voice turned unexpectedly sweet. "There has to be someone we can see, isn't there? She only needs to be briefed, after all."

"Actually," the bored man said, rifling through his papers and paying no attention to McGonagall's attempt at flirting, "She must be questioned as well."

"Questioned?" I asked, suddenly scared. "Why? What happened?"

"Routine procedure. We have to know about your parents' life in order to come to a conclusion about the nature of their deaths."

Wow, could you have said that with any less compassion?

"What about their life? Just go test the muggles and see whether or not they remember setting my house on fire!"

"Please calm down, Miss.." Again, waiting for a surname.

"It's Evans! Evans! As in the muggles who died and the people you will be questioning me about! Are you even reading those papers that you're rifling through or are you just—"

"Hey," he whispered into my ear, slipping a strong arm around my waist, "calm down, love. It's going to be alright."

I tried to breathe.

I suppose if this was some mushy, muggle, romance novel this would be the part where I suddenly feel light and everything is better.

But it's not.

I still want to bash this inadequate secretary's head in.

"Now, sir, why does she need to be questioned? Surely the muggle authorities have already found suspects to the murder?" James said, much more calmly than I could have managed.

He started rubbing circles into my back, and much as I hate to admit it right now, some of the tension did start to ebb away.

"Well, that's standard procedure," the secretary defended himself. "You'll have to ask the people in charge."

James drummed his fingers on the edge of the podium. "Well, in that case, why don't you page the Head Speaker of the Wizengamot? Tell him his son fancied a visit."

The secretary's eyes widened. "James Potter?"

"Yes."

"Well, certainly, I'll send a note up right away." The secretary hurriedly scribbled something onto a piece of parchment. Seconds later a charmed paper airplane flew out of sight. "Have a seat, I'm sure he will make time for you shortly."

He still hadn't let go of me when we turned to go back to our bench. I tried to make the most of the opportunity and leaned into his side.

"Thank you," I murmured quietly.

He nodded and squeezed me a little tighter. A little tension eased from my heart.

"Well done, Potter," McGonagall said briskly. I could tell she was trying not to sound too pleased with his connections. "That might get us out of here in time for the muggles. I hear they actually adhere to their appointments."

I had to laugh at that. "Oh, don't worry, Professor, the muggles will be running late too."

Her expression quickly turned sour.

"Oh! Minerva!"

I looked up to see a portly old man shaking hands with McGonagall.

"Sturgis! How are you?"

They seemed to be old friends. I looked away, not wanting to intrude on the moment.

"James?" I whispered softly.

"Yes?"

It took me a moment. I didn't want to say it, but I didn't want this to keep going. I missed him.

I mean, he's still there, technically, but something about him is missing.

And I want it back.

I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry."

I couldn't look into his eyes as I said it, but I heard him let out a sigh as he squeezed me tighter into his side.

"I'm sorry too."

"We'll talk about it later?" I asked, a little scared at the thought.

"Yeah."

xxxxxxxx

"Take a seat, please," Dad said, gesturing to the long conference table. The room was completely empty, save for us. So much for that bloke down at Reception telling us that no one was available.

He shook each of our hands in turn. "James, Lily, and…"

"Minverva McGonagall," she added, taking the hand he offered.

"Ah! Yes, Professor, we've heard so much about you. You know, James is quite fond of Transfiguration."

"I'm glad to hear it," McGonagall said, matching his warm tone. "He does exceedingly well in my class."

It's a good thing Dad's friendly, honestly. I've never seen anyone can get a smile out of McGonagall before.

"Well, now, I've been told that there's been some trouble down at Reception," he started, looking at me. "What happened?"

"Nothing, Dad," I answered, keeping it informal. "But they want to question Lily and that just seems entirely unnecessary. I mean, it's not like she's going to be able to tell them if the muggles were imperiused or not, and all they'll be doing is tearing open wounds—"

"James!" he said sharply, inclining his head toward Lily. "There, there, I know it's hard, dear, but it will be alright," he said, handing her a box of tissues.

I wiped at her cheeks as gently as I could. "Sorry, love," I whispered into her ear, pulling her into what I hoped was a comforting hug.

I let her push me away and put on a brave face for Dad. "I'm alright, really, I just…needed a moment…"

Dad nodded sympathetically.

"Isn't there any way that she doesn't have to go through that, Dad?"

He sighed and tapped his finger to his temple, thinking. "I can try to set up a short meeting with the head of the Auror Department, try to convince them that Lily won't be able to give any pertinent information. I can't make any promises though. But Lily, dear, there's nothing to worry about," he told her, trying to be reassuring. "Professor McGonagall and James will be with you the whole time, and the aurors understand the loss you've had, they won't be harsh. Everyone's on your side, dear."

Lily nodded and stifled a few sniffles.

"Well then, I suppose I'll leave you here where you'll be more comfortable," Dad said, waving his wand so that sandwiches and drinks appeared. "Please, do make yourselves at home while I pay a visit to the Auror Department."

"Thank you, Head Speaker," McGonagall said formally.

"Oh please," Dad answered her, "I'm only Mr. Potter to my son's professors!"

"Thanks, Dad!" I called as he left the room. Then I set about the business of getting Lily to eat something while she was in such a state. Merlin knows it will be harder at dinner, after all the messy interviews.

Well, I suppose she had to break eventually. I knew she couldn't keep the calm up for very long.

xxxxxxxx

I hope you liked it!


	28. Though this be logic, there is no method

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 28 here. So, I guess I sort of don't know what to title my chapters, but lately I've just been naming after Shakespeare, even though I actually don't like Shakespeare. But anyways, so here's Lily breaking down and trying to hold it together. James is there for her, of course, and life goes on. I knew she couldn't keep up that strangely calm façade.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter! Thank you to _Queenie's Broken Heart, PottedLilies, SecretlyAGryffindor, XXJamesLilyXX, Phoenixstears, and .. _ Thanks so much!

And Thank You to everyone who put me on their favorites/alerts lists! You guys are great!

Here it is, I hope you enjoy!

xxxxxxxxxx

Though This be Logic, yet There is No Method in It.

"Lily?"

I hurried to wipe the tears from my eyes and looked up to see Mr. Potter coming through the door.

"Yes?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid I wasn't able to convince them that you needn't be questioned. But they have promised to keep it short, and they gave me their word that they would be sensitive, dear, there's no need to worry."

I nodded, looking down again. James squeezed my hand.

"I'm allowed in with her, right, Dad?"

"Yes, yes, you are. As are you, Professor. Dumbledore has already arranged that for you."

I still didn't look up.

"Lily, sweetheart?" James whispered in my ear, "I'm not going to let go the whole time, okay? I'll have your hand the whole time, I promise."

I nodded, and he caught a few more tears that started to fall.

"I'm afraid, Lily, that all I was able to do is move up the time of your interview," Mr. Potter said, sounding apologetic. "The Head of the Auror Department is expecting to see you in ten minutes, dear."

James pulled me up to my feet and held me tightly to his side. "We'd better get a move on then, love, come on…"

The four of us trooped out of the conference room and Mr. Potter led the way through the labyrinth-like corridors. Finally, we reached a door labeled 'Auror Department.'

I took a deep breath before James pulled me through.

I tried to take another deep breath when I got inside, but my lungs stopped working.

Ok, so when I go home on holiday sometimes I see the funny shows Petunia watches about space, I think she calls them science fiction, but I doubt this man actually came from _space_, I mean, maybe that eye of his did…

"Miss Evans, isn't it? Please, sit down and we'll try to make this painless."

James's hand tightened around mine

The man with the eye gave James a box of tissues. "Make sure she's well supplied," he said gruffly before turning back to me. "Now, Miss Evans, I'm Alastor Moody and I am Assistant to the Head of the Auror Department."

"Who's the head?" James asked innocently.

Moody glared at him before saying with distinct distaste, "Agustus Rookwood."

James shrank back and gripped my hand more tightly.

"Now then, Miss Evans, just a few questions about your family. You've lived at 221 West Wabash Drive in Lancaster for how long?"

"Twenty, twenty years, sir," I said, stuttering slightly and shrinking in a certain amount of terror. I think that sickening eye of his might actually be able to see _through_ my head.

Oh Merlin I hope he can't read my mind with that thing!

Oh no, what if he can?

Well, I suppose I have nothing to hide, at least not about my parents' case, but if he hears how we've been messing with the Slytherins—no, don't even think about it right now!

"And you just turned seventeen over the summer, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"And the neighbors that are being held by the muggles, the Joneses, how long have they lived across the street?"

"About, about two or three years, sir."

"And how was their relationship with your parents?"

'Erm…close, sir?"

"Close?"

"Yes, sir?"

James started rubbing circles into the back of my hand. For once it did nothing to calm me.

I mean, who is this man to demand my presence and then ask me questions about my parents as though they're only names on parchment? I mean, they're my _parents_!

"How close?"

"Sir," James cut in, "They were incredibly _close_, which may have caused some jealousy from the woman and she may have willingly tampered with the fire box."

"What's a fire box?" That was the first time I had seen an expression other than business on Moody's face.

I sighed. "A fire _detector_ is a device which makes a very loud, obnoxious noise to alert muggles when there is a fire."

"And the one in your house was broken?" Back to business.

"Someone tampered with it, yes."

"So we have two options on the table. The neighbors might have done it consciously or they might have been compelled by the Imperius Curse."

I just waited for him to think it through. Honestly, Assistant to the Head? It seems like he could use a head of his own, I mean, I already worked out all those options days ago!

I squeezed James's hand as I took another deep breath. Please tell me this interview will be over soon.

"Am I correct in thinking that Bellatrix Black was expelled from the grounds of Hogwarts, Professor?"

"She is no longer allowed onto the grounds, but she does retain her wand and is being home-schooled," McGonagall answered.

"Her parents, then? Well, I'm sure they're no strangers to the Unforgivables, now are they…Bellatrix Black took a particular disliking to you, did she, Miss Evans?"

"Yes, she did."

"Why?"

"Because Lily's a brilliant muggle-born and Bellatrix can't stand it!" James burst passionately.

"Well, we cannot forget that Miss Black would most certainly hold Miss Evans responsible for her expulsion from Hogwarts," McGonagall added.

"By why hold Lily responsible? We all testified at her hearing," James said.

"Yeah, but you're all pure-blood," I reminded him. "Well, I guess Remus is only half, but that's still better than me."

James bit his tongue. I could tell that he wanted to tell me off for saying that he had better blood than me, but thank Merlin he realized that it wasn't the right time.

"Well then, Miss Evans," Moody said, leaning forward across his desk and fixing me with a serious expression, "It seems we have a hate crime on our hands."

xxxxxxxxx

"She got out of major punishment at Hogwarts did she?" I fumed as we all made our way to the door of the Ministry, "Well, we'll see how she does at the Ministry of Magic! She can't hide from justice for that long."

"James, relax. There's nothing we can do about how she's punished."

"No? I can tell Dad to make sure she's put in Azkaban!"

"Um, yeah, that's probably not going to happen. I get that you Dad's influential at the Ministry, but so is the Black family. They'll just get her out of trouble again."

"Lily, she murdered your parents."

She was quiet for a few minutes. I shouldn't have said that.

"That doesn't change her family's status, James," she finally answered. "They are still powerful, and so far no one can prove that it's even her. Let's just make sure it's not muggles first."

Again with the muggles! Merlin, why can't she drop that already? It's not her fault and she should know it!

I growled but let McGonagall disillusion me. Just as she was about to disillusion herself Moody came running, "Minvera!"

She turned, surprised. I don't think I've heard anyone call her by her first name before.

"Don't go that way," he said, finally reaching us and panting slightly. "It's safer if you use the floo from my office. I've got it all set up so that you will speak directly to the minister of the muggle world and you won't have to speak to the petty law enforcement men who don't know about magic. Now come back with me, come on…"

McGonagall took the charm off of Lily and me before we followed Moody down the corridor.

About half an hour later, I stepped into the grate after McGonagall. I fell onto the floor to hear her saying, "—afternoon, Minister, I am the guardian of the girl you needed to interview…"

I heard a noise in the grate as I dusted myself off and immediately turned to catch Lily. She fell into my arms and knocked us both over onto the floor again.

"Sorry! Sorry," she said, looking as though she was suddenly near tears again.

"Hey there, it's alright, no need to cry about it, love."

A tear started to fall, but I wiped it away.

"It'll be fine, don't worry about a thing."

She nodded, trying and failing to put a stoic expression on her face.

Oh, there are going to be tears all night tonight. I hope I can find enough tissues.

I rolled her over so that I could get up, then held out my hand for her. We turned back to McGonagall and the muggle minister a moment later.

"Well, you see, in the wizarding world, we come of age at seventeen, so she is legally of age, but in your world, she has no guardians left…"

I turned back to Lily, expecting to see tears for that remark.

I wasn't disappointed.

Well, I mean, I was, I always hate to see her cry, but I expected something to happen and it did, was all I meant.

Anyways, the point was she started to tear up again, so I pulled her close and tucked her under my arm, hoping to create a little warmth and safety for her. She clutched my shirt tightly, so it probably worked.

"Yes, yes, I understand," the Minister was saying. Then he turned to Lily and me. "I'm so sorry for your loss, dear. Lily, correct? Yes, I know it's hard, but you must take comfort in the fact that there will be justice!"

All in all, I rather thought he was a bit of an overdramatic, pompous, old man, but Mum always says that I mustn't judge so quickly. I mean, at first I didn't like Wormtail, but Mum told me to get to know him a bit better, and look at us now! We're the best of friends.

"Now, I hate to make you relive it, Lily, but I must. Please, sit down, and in the name of justice, we shall have to revisit wounds that are far too fresh, and pour salt into them…"

Merlin.

Okay, he is definitely overdramatic, if nothing else.

I squeezed Lily's hand as we sat on a leather sofa, letting her know that I was still there, not letting go. She scooted into me a bit.

Yeah, this is definitely going to be a rough night for her. I hope Dumbledore has the sense to give her tomorrow off, because if he doesn't she going to insist on going to class and I _know_ she's not going to get any sleep tonight.

I mean, I'm not getting any sleep tonight either, but I wouldn't have any problem skipping a day of classes. Especially as I would just be sleeping through them anyway. But Lily, she would just steamroll right on through.

I listened as sympathetically as I could through the interview, squeezing her hand now and again to show some support. Honestly, that has to be the wimpiest show of support possible, but I couldn't really think of anything else to do. I couldn't just hug her tight and let her soak my shirt when she needed to answer some questions for the minister. So I settled for squeezing her hand, and she settled for squeezing back, both of us knowing that the real tears would come as soon as I got her home.

Finally, finally, we got up to go, and McGonagall pulled out the bag of floo powder that Moody gave her for the return trip. We stepped in, one at a time, and this time I was prepared to catch Lily.

I wasn't prepared to catch McGonagall, and she fell onto us, knocking us both over.

Ah, well, you can't have everything in life.

But it wasn't the least of my worries.

Moody insisted on escorting us back to Hogwarts, and McGonagall happily agreed, but as soon as we got out of the fellytone booth I noticed that same group of muggles. I whispered loudly, as I couldn't see Professor McGonagall at all.

"There they are again, Professor, what should we do?"

"Keep as quiet as we can, Potter," Moody's gruff whisper answered. "Now, everyone grab hold of two other people, and we'll get on back to King's Cross. They won't be able to touch you once you're there, and you can apparate from the platform."

"You can't apparate into Hogwarts," Lily whispered, "It says so in _Hogwarts, A Hist_—"

"Yes, I know, Evans, but you can apparate to the gate, and then walk in."

Lily was silent.

"Everyone got two other people?"

There were murmurs of assent.

"Alright then, let's go."

And we made an awkward procession to the busy street. I kept my eyes on the Death Eater's gap as we moved closer and closer to where the muggles were standing. They didn't move. Hopefully they won't notice us.

Someone knocked into a muggle, who promptly fell over and screeched in pain before looking around for the culprit.

Obviously the muggle didn't find anyone.

But the Death Eater knew better. And the group of muggles started moving in our direction. I didn't know who pulled, but I was being dragged away from the still-screaming muggle and we crossed the street.

The muggle was still screaming.

Good Merlin, are they all overdramatic, then? I mean, she just fell onto the sidewalk, there's no need to keep screaming about it right now!

Ah, well, the group of muggles is standing next to her, and isn't moving anymore.

Stupid Death Eater. Why would we stay next to the muggle? We're trying to hide ourselves, not announce our presence with an obnoxiously loud scene.

I scurried to keep up with the person in front of me, as their robes were starting to slip slightly from my grasp, and I took hold of the wrist that had my clothes to make sure that I didn't lose contact.

Oh, I know that wrist. That wrist is Lily's.

Okay, definitely not letting go. I slipped my hand into hers, and pulled her forward a bit so that I could be sure that I didn't lose her in the crowd.

After what felt like an hour, we were near King's Cross. I felt like singing I was so happy. I couldn't wait to be able to see everyone rather than this odd, hand-holding system.

When we finally slipped through the barrier, I heard Moody speak again.

"Alright, then. This is where I leave you. I'll watch you disapparate and then I'll go back to the Ministry."

It turned out that I was holding onto his robes, and when he disillusioned himself I found myself clutching them. He disillusioned me next, but by the time he turned to McGonagall and Lily they were already visible.

"Thank you, Alastor," McGonagall said with more warmth that I was used to hearing. It's so odd to see her with old school friends and people she actually knows and _likes_. Honestly, I suppose I forgot that teachers are people with lives too.

"Both of you take hold of me now, come on, hang on tight."

I grinned.

"You mean, you'll finally let me hug you, Professor?" I asked with eagerness, knowing she would blanch at the thought.

"Potter, if it gets the least bit inappropriate—"

"James, if you hug her you won't be allowed to touch me for the rest of the day."

"Maybe I'll just hold on to Lily then…"

Lily and McGonagall both sighed exasperatedly. "Potter, just take hold of my arm and mind you don't loosen your grip until we're at Hogwarts."

"Yes, Professor."

As we twirled I caught one last glimpse of Moody glaring at me before I felt as though I would suffocate from the pressure. I guess the only reason people don't die from suffocation is that it's over so quickly.

Anyway, we stood outside the front gate of Hogwarts, just at the outskirts of Hogsmeade, and straightened our robes while McGonagall sent her patronus to Dumbedore.

I looked at Lily, gauging her expression, checking to see if she would last through dinner, or if I should just take her back up to our room. Probably best to just take her upstairs. I mean, we do have a kitchen, there's no reason to subject her to an hour in the Great Hall with hordes of prying eyes. I stepped around McGonagall and pulled Lily into my arms.

She didn't resist. In fact, she downright melted into my chest, so I pulled her closer and prayed for us to reach our room sooner. She's going to break down again any moment now.

When Flitwick finally came to open the gate, Lily was fighting the redness in her eyes. I got her up to our room as quickly as I could.

xxxxxxxxx

"Sweetheart, you should try to eat something."

"I said I'm not hungry."

"Lily." Pleading, wheedling, foolishly hopeful.

"Food is nauseating. How can you even think of food right now?"

"Lily." Demanding, now. He's not going to let me keep this up for long. I wonder if he realizes how one's appetite can mysteriously and completely vanish upon interrogation about the deaths of one's parents.

Probably not.

That would be too much to ask, after all.

"I let you skip dinner last night, but now you have to eat something."

I looked up into his big, hazel eyes that were somehow begging and demanding all at once, and I had to give in to his request.

"Maybe some toast. Anything else would probably just come back up anyway."

He nodded and set about finding a loaf of bread in the cupboards. Suddenly he turned back to me, sans bread loaf.

"How about some waffles?"

I just stared at him.

Then I was suddenly hungry.

Yeah, waffles I could eat. I mean, provided he doesn't try to put any butter or syrup on them.

I nodded. "Waffles are fine."

I watched him as he set up my breakfast, transfiguring a saucepan, whipping up a batter that appeared in a cupboard, toasting them to waffly-perfection, when the boys and Alice walked through the door.

"Guess who Remus is taking to Hogsmeade next weekend!" Sirius exclaimed, splaying his arms and seeming ready to bounce off walls in excitement.

Remus?

Really?

I don't think he's ever gone on a date the whole time I've known him at Hogwarts.

"Who?" James asked, stepping over from the kitchen and swatting at Peter when he made a grab for my waffles.

"Isabelle Fawcett!"

I laughed, startled, but James just set my plate down and gave Remus a playful smack upside the head. "'Bout time, Moony, maybe Sirius won't have to set up your second date for you."

Remus glared at James and Sirius. "No, but I'm sure he'll make time to spy on my first. Who are you taking to Hogsmeade, then, Padfoot? Please tell me you'll find some way to keep busy?"

"Well, unfortunately for you, Moony, I can't tell you who I'll be taking."

"In other words, you will be taking Wormtail to spy on me."

"James can come along, if he likes."

"I'll be spending the day with Lily, Moony, sorry, but don't worry. I'm sure I'll get all the details later."

Remus continued to glare as he sparred with Sirius, beginning with words and ending with an all-out brawl on the floor. I giggled and leaned back into the soft couch as James petted me from one side and Alice did from the other. I don't know how James's best friends got to be my best friends, but they did.

And they're the best friends ever.

Not many people would know that what I wanted was to be distracted. I mean, most people would want me to _talk_ _about it_ and _just get it all out_. But that's not what I need. I need to be distracted.

Because dealing with the fact that my magic has caused my parents' death is more than any seventeen-year-old should really be forced to digest.

"So why did you decide to ask her to Hogsmeade, Remus?" Alice asked, still petting my hair.

"Well, when Sirius locked us in that broom cupboard, we talked a bit—"

"I definitely did not hear any _talking_, Moony," Sirius interrupted. "I did however, hear a rather suggestive silence—"

"You can't have _heard_ silence, Padfoot, the two don't go together," Remus answered, getting annoyed.

"You can in fact, hear silence, Moony. Silence is the absence of noise, is it not? You can feel cold, but it is just the absence of heat, right? So you can hear silence by the same principle, in that you are not hearing noise."

"Wow, Sirius," I said, staring at him wide-eyed.

"I like Muggle Studies," he shrugged.

"They didn't teach us that in Muggle Studies," I argued.

"Well," he said, trying to appear nonchalant about what I knew was his one true passion-for the obvious rebellious reasons, of course—"There are all sorts of muggle books in the restricted section, some of them are about this thing that they call 'science,' and it's a bit interesting."

I continued to stare.

"Stop it, Miss Lily, James is getting jealous."

I looked away to make him more comfortable, but I couldn't help but be impressed.

"Still, Padfoot, if you're going to pull out muggle science or whatever it was called, there's still the fact that no silence could be _suggestive_—"

"Oh, Moony, will you just relax? So you snogged her, and now you're going to Hogsmeade, so what? People snogg all the time!"

"I'm not taking her to Hogsmeade just because we snogged, Padfoot, we did actually get around to a bit of talking and she's a rather lovely girl," Remus said hotly, turning slightly pink. I did my best not to laugh at his unexpected blush. I don't think I've ever seen him fancy a girl before, this is entirely new. "And some of us don't go around snogging so many people, and I happen to think that it's only polite to invite the girl to Hogsmeade afterward!"

He was definitely red now.

"Right, Moony," James laughed, finally joining the conversation. "That's the only reason you asked her."

"Well," Remus blushed a shade deeper, looking down, "she is quite pretty…"

"Either way," Sirius started, and I was sure that his next words were only meant to rile Remus up, "We'll all see just how lovely she is during your date on Saturday. You'll be taking her to the Three Broomsticks, then?"

Remus glared.

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I hope you liked it!


	29. Weather the storm, the strong always do

Hello everyone!

Chapter 29 here! Sorry for the long absence, I had two crazy weeks at school and they finally finished. So anyways, this chapter doesn't really center on Lily, as there are way too many other things going on around her, but she is starting to breathe and come to terms with her parents' death for real, rather than that weird calm she had before. And the group as a whole finds themselves in a situation that I suppose was predictable, but the story goes how it wants to, I don't really do much to guide it.

A big thanks you goes out to my reviewers, of course, who I absolutely love to hear from! Thanks to PottdLilies, StarViky, ., SecretlyAGryffindor, lana-bear, XXJamesLilyXX, and . Thanks so much for the reviews!

And thanks to everyone who liked my story enough to add it to their favorites/alerts lists! You guys are fantastic :D

So, here it is! I hope you enjoy it, and please review. I love it when I get your feedback.

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"So they've got all the Easter decorations out," I said before mentally slapping myself. That's exactly what I should do—remind her that a holiday is coming up when her parents just died.

"Yeah," she said glumly, stirring her tea, "Madam Puddifoot would probably die if she ever skimped on holiday decorations."

I took her hand and rubbed it gently until she finally looked up at me.

"Please come home with me for Easter?"

Her eyes started to get watery, so I moved my chair closer to hers and tried to undo my damage.

"I mean, you know how much I love you, Lily, _I'm_ your family now, right?"

She nodded but didn't say anything.

"Mum and Dad loved you. They couldn't wait to see you again."

She bit her lip and stared into my eyes. I don't know what she found there, but she nodded again and squeezed my hand. "I love you so much, James."

I kissed her forehead and pulled her into a hug. "I love you too, sweetheart."

After a few long moments she sighed and eased out of my arms. "Let's finish our tea, then. I'll need to go shopping."

I frowned. "What for?"

"A new dress?" She said, suddenly confused. "I would have thought that Easter was as fancy as Christmas at your house."

I blushed. "Oh, well, yes it is." After all, she was not likely to allow herself to be as unprepared for the Easter Ball as she was for the Christmas one. Although honestly that was all my fault for not warning her.

"So any color preference?" she asked, taking a sip of her tea. Well, at least she's calming down a bit.

"Color preference?"

"For my dress, sweetheart."

"Oh, well, you know I love it when you wear emerald, love, it brings out your eyes."

She gave me a small smile and a kiss. "It's _Easter_," she murmured softly, "I can't wear emerald, love. Any other color you'd like?"

She was leaning in so close that I couldn't resist the scent coming off her. I pressed my lips under her jaw and breathed her in. "Surprise me, then."

"Mmmm, okay."

I let my lips trail down her neck but then had to stop. There were too many layers of scarves and clothes for me to get to her skin. I growled in frustration and she laughed at me.

"James, we _are_ in public."

"So? They all think we've been shagging for ages."

"But we're _not_," she pointed out, pushing me away.

I sighed. "No. But for the record, I'm not the one who gave them the idea. They all can see how much I want you." I leaned in a bit closer so that I was whispering into her ear, "And they can all see how much _you_ want _me_, love. Don't deny it."

She sighed and pushed me away again. "I'm not denying that I want you, but I have more self control than that." She looked me up and down, then sighed again, "Come on, I've got shopping to do."

"Why don't we find Alice then? She'll be more help than I will."

"Yes, if you had it your way I'd end up in the ugliest dress in the shop."

I pouted for her benefit. "It's not my fault if everything looks good on you."

That got a smile out of her. She reached up and kissed me softly. "Alright then, I won't make you come along. Let's go find Alice and Frank."

"She'll need one anyway," I told her.

"The Prewetts will be at the Easter Ball, too?"

"They always are. Gryffindors are life-long friends, you know."

She smiled and squeezed my hand. "I know."

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"I like the lavender."

"Are you sure?" I asked, staring into the mirror again. There were just so many dresses in Galdrags, especially as the Easter holiday was coming up, that I didn't even know where to begin wading through the dresses.

"_Yes_," Alice sighed. "You take the lavender one, then I'll take the baby blue."

"I thought you were going with the mint green?"

"Well, I've changed my mind."

"Oh, so you're allowed to change your mind but I'm not?"

"You need some structure. I'm not the one who doesn't know what to do with myself."

I sighed and turned back to the mirror. "Maybe I should go with something light green? He said he liked me in emerald."

"Well of course he likes you in emerald," Alice answered, a bit exasperated as she tried to pull another dress over her head without bothering to unzip it. We had been at this for three hours already. "The color is stunning on you. But the other greens don't have the same effect and you can't wear emerald to an Easter Ball at Potter Manor, Lily, it's just not done. Trust me. But the lavender is lovely and totally acceptable for the season."

I groaned. "Am I really going to have to learn about these things? The colors and textiles acceptable for each season of the year?"

She nodded. "That's what rich people do, Lily, and the Potters are most definitely rich. Anyways, don't think of it as having to fit in with the rich snobbies. Think of it as showing respect to James's parents. You like them, don't you?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"So you don't want them to be embarrassed by a girl who doesn't know how to dress properly, do you?"

I turned to the mirror one more time. "The lavender it is, then."

"Good girl," she said, giving me a pat that made me feel like a five-year-old who had managed to color inside the lines. "Now my turn. Should I try the mint one back on, or do you like the baby blue?"

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I was about to go head Sirius and Peter off at the Three Broomsticks, see if I couldn't get Remus some real alone time with his date, when I noticed them trailing away toward the Hog's Head.

Bad idea. Unless, of course, they _wanted_ people to know that they were planning trouble.

Ok, well, as long as they're going to the Hog's Head I'll be able to find them in a minute. Right now I'm going to need to call in reinforcements.

I ran the rest of the way down the hill, then hurtled to a stop right before the door of the Three Broomsticks and straightened my coat before going inside. It took a moment to scan the room and find Sirius at a table which was, surprisingly, across the room from Remus's. I guess the fates decided to give Remus some privacy after all.

I headed straight for Sirius, and he happened to turn as I got near. He sensed my mood and immediately he got up to meet me half-way.

"What happened, mate?" he asked as quietly as he could in the loud pub.

"Come on outside," I answered. "Where's Peter?"

"In my pocket."

I raised an eyebrow.

"He was doing periodic runs over there to catch snippets of conversation," Sirius grinned. "Moony got Rosmerta to make me sit at the other end of the room."

"Right, well, come on then," I said, turning and leading him quickly out of the pub. When we finally reached the door I started talking quickly and quietly. "I saw our favorite bunch of Slytherins going toward the Hog's Head a few minutes ago, but there were too many and I needed your help to follow them."

Sirius nodded. We hurried around the corner and made our way up the winding path toward the Hog's Head. I peeked in through a window and saw them seated at the far side of the bar. Sirius and I quietly charmed our ears to listen in, but Peter clambered out of Sirius's front pocket and slipped through the open window.

"Don't understand why you don't care about chasing down the mudbloods anymore, Snape, what better way to prove our dedication to the Dark Lord than to carry out his plans inside the walls of Hogwarts?" Avery was saying. Filthy, disgusting sadist. I hope he dies a thousand painful deaths.

"The better way is to eliminate his opposition, Avery," Snape answered him with a sneer. "He's heard too many stories about them, now. If we're going to prove ourselves to him, prove our worthiness to fight for him, then we have to destroy _them_. It cannot be said of us, the students of the noble Slytherin, that we were bested by blood-traitors! We must destroy them. Every last one."

"What about the mudblood?" Crabbe growled from the corner, "I wouldn't mind destroying her, too."

"Pure-bloods will not sully their mouths with such foul language!" Snape hissed, pointing his wand at Crabbe who promptly started choking on a toothbrush. My blood boiled, itching to rush inside and beat Crabbe to a pulp, string him up as my new punching bag for daring to threaten her-

"But Bellatrix said that we would prove ourselves by killing a mud—muggle-born," Nott said, shaking his head. "She said we would prove ourselves by getting that Evans, the one they guard so viciously."

"Yes, Snape," Avery said, turning to him with a sneer, "Too soft to hurt an old childhood friend? Perhaps you aren't worthy to join the Dark Lord after all—"

"Silence!" Snape hissed again, pointing his wand at Avery this time, who was promptly bound to his barstool and gagged. "I will hear no more about Bellatrix Black. Her ways lead to her expulsion from Hogwarts, and what good does she do now? None. She resorted to killing mere muggles for the Dark Lord's attention. Needless to say, he was not impressed by her choice to hunt down rabbits. I choose to hunt lions. And I promise you, when I am through with them they will beg to be killed." He looked around, waiting to see anyone else who dared oppose him. "We will not waste any more of our time on mere muggle-borns. We will hunt down the blood-traitors."

"Maybe they'll put up a decent fight," Goyle growled from the edge of the group. "That last mudblood wasn't no fun at all—"

His voice was cut off and his hand raised to his throat as his face turned purple.

"I will not repeat again," Snape said in a tone that had chills running down my spine, "that none of you shall ever use the term mudblood. The next who does it will lose the ability to speak, permanently."

With that, he lifted the curse from Goyle and watched as his face slowly returned to its normal shade.

"Have I made myself clear?"

Everyone nodded.

They got up, one by one, and left the pub. I stood there with Sirius, watching and waiting for any of them to stay behind, to reveal more of their plans. But they kept their silence and soon they were all gone.

Peter scurried out the window and jumped to the ground, turning back into a human as he did so. He looked up at us both, fear in his beady little eyes.

"What are we going to do now?"

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James and Sirius came sprinting toward us with Peter trailing along in their wake. My heart clenched immediately.

"What's wrong?"

"Just come with us," Sirius said, taking Alice's bag from her as James grabbed mine and tugged at my hand, "We've got to explain it to Dumbledore anyway."

Running along beside James, I shrunk the gown in his hand and he quickly shoved it into his pocket. I turned to Sirius to do the same with Alice's dress, but he had already copied me and was stowing his wand away.

"So," Alice panted, "Someone please tell us what just happened!"

"And where's Remus?"

"He's still on his date," James said.

"And the Slytherins have just gotten new management," Sirius added.

What the hell does _that_ mean?

"What the hell does that mean?" Alice asked.

"It means that they have new targets," Sirius told her. "Namely, us."

I saw my emotions mirrored in her face.

"Oh."

"Yeah, so, um, run faster."

No one argued.

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I stared into his face as he stared out the window.

"Very well, then," he said, still not looking at any of us, "You will have to take extra care to protect yourselves. You have done well so far, and I will have to take extra precautions…Mr. Lupin is separated from the group?"

"As are Marlene McKinnon, Emmeline Vance, and Frank Longbottom," James reminded him.

"Yes, yes, although I have no reason to believe that Mr. Snape nor any of the other Slytherins know of their part in your resistance, it is Mr. Lupin who finds himself in the most danger at the moment…You will all go to him. I will send him an owl with a letter to meet with you and hurry back to the castle, you will be waiting for him—you mentioned that he was in the Three Broomsticks, correct?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Then you shall wait for him, as a group, outside the Three Broomsticks, and escort him back from Hogsmeade. You will all take Miss Fawcett back to Ravenclaw Tower. You will then go immediately back to the Heads' Quarters, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Professor," James answered once again.

"Not one of you is to wander the castle alone. You will walk to class with at least one other person, you will always have your wands at the ready, am I clear?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Very well, then. Go and collect Mr. Lupin before any danger can befall him or Miss Fawcett."

We all stood up and walked toward the door.

"Stop," Dumbledore said, making us all whip around. He held feathers in his hands, red and gold like the one he gave me when I went to visit the ruins of my parents' house. "Each of you will take one. You will not lose it unless you wish to lose a vast amount of protection."

By the time we made it down to the Three Broomsticks, Remus was just leaving with Isabelle. He looked harried.

"What's this about?" I heard him ask James in an undertone. I turned to Isabelle to keep her busy.

"Dumbledore wants us to stick together. We'll talk later."

The walk back to the castle was torturous, especially as Isabelle was gossiping happily to Alice and me the whole way back. I don't know if she was talking to Remus about these things all day, but if she was I don't know how he handled it.

Then again, maybe her gossiping will keep her off the fact that a whole group of Remus's friends came to collect him from a date. No matter her reasoning, that would look suspicious.

When we finally dropped her off at Ravenclaw Tower she was still impervious to our mood, still gossiping, and still hoping for a kiss from Remus. He obliged, blushing profusely, I might add, but turned to us the moment the door sealed behind her.

"What's happened?"

"As soon as we get back to my dorm, mate," James said, taking my hand and pulling me along. All the others followed quickly.

"So, Moony," Sirius said in a blatantly transparent attempt to make conversation that wasn't sullen, "did you enjoy all the latest Hogwarts gossip?"

Remus just gave him a worried look. "Something tells me that I'm going to wish I could write your news off as mere gossip."

I shook my head at his refusal to ease the tension.

"You were always the one with the brains, Moony," James told him as he pulled me down another corridor.

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"I would imagine that he meant for us to wait here for him."

"Well _I_ would imagine that he knows we're incapable of sitting and waiting for something to happen," Sirius said cuttingly.

"Leave Moony alone, Padfoot," James said, looking between the two of them. "Dumbledore will come."

"Can't I owl Frank?" Alice said, looking at the door longingly, "He could come sit with us. After all, he's going to need to know."

"No, don't owl him, it would take too long," James advised. "But you can use that charm I taught you, and talk to him through your wand."

She nodded, and wandered off in the direction of my room. I heard her murmuring very quietly in the corner.

I looked up at James. He was busy watching the fire, so I let my eyes study him. I didn't need to, I mean, I already memorized his beautiful face weeks ago, but I couldn't help myself. There was just something about the hard line of his jaw that made me stare, and led me up to his wild, crazy hair. I started playing with it, running my fingers through it as I drank him in. His strong brows, and long eyelashes. His eyes, closed at the moment. They always closed when I started playing with his hair. I studied the smooth skin, the creamy color. His skin was so pretty that I got jealous sometimes.

The only thing that kept me from kissing him at that moment was all the people in the room. I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate it if we just started snogging the living daylights out of each other. I settled for placing a soft kiss on his neck, and I felt the rumble of contentment in the back of his throat. I couldn't help but smile against his skin when his arms tightened around me.

His eyes were still closed, so I started tracing his face with my fingertips, letting them glide softly over his skin. It calmed me so that I could actually try to think.

I wonder why the Slytherins have suddenly decided that muggle-borns aren't good enough targets. I mean, that's what Voldemort is all about, isn't he? Purifying the wizarding race by killing muggles and mudbloods? What could the Slytherins possibly be thinking by killing other pure-bloods?

What could _Snape_ be thinking?

He's usually much better at manipulating people to get what he wants. I mean, if they go about it this way, Voldemort won't be impressed by them at all, and none of them will get to follow him like they want to.

Unless Snape wants something else.

Yes, he must want something else.

Because I _know_ Sev, he always knows how to get what he wants.

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"I trust you all had dinner here, as I instructed?"

There were nods all around.

"Well then, since we're all fed, let's get started. I understand that you are all seventh years, and as such have a significant magical education in the defense against the dark arts. However, if I am not mistaken, the particular group of Slytherins which has taken an interest in you has come across knowledge of the dark arts more advanced than your defense. Therefore I will be teaching you to defend yourselves at their level of proficiency."

We all just stared blankly.

Lily squeezed my hand, so I spoke up. "What will you be teaching us, Professor?"

He pierced me with his gaze. "Well, I won't be teaching you anything until the holiday is over, as you will all be leaving for your homes tomorrow morning, correct?"

Another collective nod went around the room.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, nodding in turn, "but a few more defensive spells for the train tomorrow would not be amiss, don't you agree? We have time…"

So I partnered with Sirius, as Alice had already claimed Lily from my arms, and we set to work. By midnight, we had each learned five new defensive spells, a miraculous feat if ever there was one. The difficulty of each of those spells was higher than anything we have learned so far.

"Very well, then, I suppose that will do for tonight," Dumbledore said, ready to bow out of our common room.

"Professor," Alice asked before he could go, "Why don't they teach us these spells, if that's what we really need to defend ourselves?"

Dumbledore pondered the question for a moment before answering her.

"Well Miss Prewett, I would imagine that they do not teach spells of this caliber because there has been no need for nearly two centuries. I'm sorry to say, the need has arisen." He paused and looked around at us all. "Have a safe journey tomorrow."

And with that he bowed out.

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I hope you liked it!

Please review!


	30. Real Men Wear Pink

Well, hello everyone!

This is chapter…wait for it…drum-roll, please…30! The big 3-0! And this is actually the longest chapter yet. It is a full nine pages of pure fluff, so I sincerely hope it tickles you Lily and James fancy, as it does absolutely nothing to further the story. I don't think there was ever any mention of an Easter break in the actual Harry Potter books, so I might have gone a little AU with this one, but I needed a break from how dark the story was getting.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, as you are all wonderful for giving me feedback. Thank you to _PottedLilies, SecretlyAGryffindor, UndercoverHufflepuff, and lana-bear_. Also, thank you to _bibe_, who should have been mentioned in the previous chapter, but for some reason fanficiton deletes the people I write when they have punctuation in the middle of their names. I don't know why. Either way, thank you for your previous review, _bibe_!

And a big thank you also goes out to everyone who added me to their favorites/alerts lists! I'm so excited because I'm over fifty people now! This is my first fanfiction, so I think that's awesome, and I have all of you to thank. (p.s.-if that's actually a small number of favorites and alerts, please don't burst my bubble)

So that's all for now, I hope you enjoy!

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"Welcome home, you three!" Mrs. Potter exclaimed, hugging each of us in turn. "Now, who's ready for some dinner? I've had Mag make you steak and apple pie, James, and Sirius she's got your lamb chops almost ready." Then she turned to me, "Now, Lily, darling you were a bit of a question mark! I've asked Mag to make you blueberry-glazed duck and crème-brulee, I know it was your favorite when you were here, but if you'd like something else…"

She paused, waiting for my answer, so I hurried to reassure her.

"Oh, no, that sounds absolutely wonderful, Mrs. Potter."

A tear came to her eye.

"Oh, no, Mum," I heard James mutter under his breath.

"Now, Lily, darling, there's no need to be so formal. You're such a wonderful little sweetheart and I would be honored if you would come to me like your own mother now, after all that's happened…"

That's when I tuned out. James was looking absolutely horrified and Sirius seemed to be having some sort of painful internal struggle. Finally words spilled out of his mouth.

"That's right, Miss Lily, you couldn't ask for a more loving Mum," he said as he slung an arm around her shoulders, simultaneously cutting her off _and_ putting real meaning behind her words. After all, how could you not believe Sirius after the whole running away story? "She took me in, Lils, and she's absolutely wonderful."

I tried my best to give both of them a convincing smile. "I know she is, Sirius, I spent all of Christmas here, remember?"

"Ah, which reminds me, darling," Mrs. Potter cut in again, "Has James remembered to tell you about the ball? You'll need another dress, of course…"

Well, the one thing that I really do love about James's mum is that she is very good at frivolity. Odd as that sounds, she doesn't have a fake aura to her. I suppose I just love how she throws herself into it—lace, bows, cocktails—without holding any part of herself back.

And I think that's why I know Sirius is right. Because she won't hold any part of herself back if I go to her with something.

After all, she took in someone else's child…that has to count for something, right?

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"So, I know Mum might have some on a bit strong, earlier," James said nervously, toying with the bedspread, "but she means well. She doesn't mean to pry—"

"I know, James. There's nothing to worry about."

He looked up at me. "Are you sure you're going to be okay? I mean, you don't have to go to this party, Lily, they wouldn't even have to explain the whole ordeal, they could just tell everyone that we decided to stay at Hogwarts—"

I cut him off with a kiss. Sometimes that's the only way to shut him up.

"It's fine, James. I mean, it's not like I can hide from the thing that I really want to hide from…it's going to be hard…but I'll be okay." I stopped and took his hand. "Promise me you won't let go the whole time?"

He gave me a soft smile. "Never."

I frowned. "Never going to promise, or never going to let go?"

He shook his head. "Never going to let go, Lily, of course. Honestly, you amaze me sometimes. Even if I wasn't completely and hopelessly subject to your every whim, would I give up the opportunity to be touching you for a whole evening?"

Huh, I guess I didn't really think about it.

I gave him another kiss and smiled.

"Thank you."

"Anytime, beautiful," he answered, squeezing my hand.

I let myself collapse backward, onto the bed.

"So where's Sirius gotten to anyway?"

"He's out riding the horses."

"You have horses?" I asked, incredulous, "And Sirius knows how to ride them?"

James laughed. "He was raised a _Black_ for eleven uninterrupted years, sweetheart. There are certain things that he knows how to do."

I rolled onto my side so that I could see him better. "Do you know how to ride?"

"Not nearly as well as he does, but I can manage."

I was suddenly really excited.

"Could you teach me?"

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"Prongs! Lils!" Sirius shouted with a grin as he galloped around the track. "What are you doing out here?"

"Lily here wanted to learn how to ride a horse!" I shouted back, as he was already at the far end.

He risked taking one hand from the reins and gave us a wave, "Have fun!"

I grinned. Oh, I most definitely would.

We'll see how a fiery redhead holds up against a fiery horse.

But safety first, I should teach her on Apple, since she's so gentle with people.

"Alright, love, let's get into the stables and get you into some riding gear," I told her, taking her hand and pulling her away from the track.

"Riding gear?"

"Yeah, didn't you see what Sirius was wearing?"

She shook her head.

"Oh, well, he was wearing riding gear. And you'll have to too, unless you want to wear those jeans of yours out."

"Erm, no, I don't want to wear out my brand new jeans, thanks. Although, can I just say that I'm impressed at how well you know muggle clothes now?"

"Well thank you, darling."

She laughed, and I got goose-bumps from the beautiful sound. "What made you interested in Muggle Studies to begin with? I mean, it just doesn't seem like a choice that a thirteen-year-old pure-blood would make."

It was my turn to laugh. "Well, love, Sirius convinced me that if I was ever going to win you over I'd have to know all about—"

I stopped, realizing what I was about to say.

She sighed and squeezed my hand. "It's okay to say it, James. You needed to learn how to act around my muggle parents, but it turned out that you never met them."

I just stared into her eyes, willing her to see how sorry I was for bringing it up.

"Don't worry," she said with a small smile that was almost convincing. "I'll move on eventually, you don't have to tip-toe around it."

I didn't know what to say to her.

That should have been my clue to keep my fat mouth shut, but no. I'm just thick sometimes.

"It's not fair that you lost them, Lil. It's just not."

She looked up into my eyes and then wrapped her arms tightly around my waist.

"I know it's not, but…I still have you."

My heart didn't know whether it wanted to tear itself apart for the note of sadness in her voice or jump for joy at her confidence in our relationship.

"And…" she continued, still burying her face in my chest, "I just wanted to say…thanks for never giving up on me, James. I wouldn't have been able to do what you did…and…you have to be the bravest, most determined bloke I know, to keep after me for so long, and…"

I could tell she didn't know how else to voice her feelings, so I pulled her chin up and kissed her. It lasted forever but it didn't last long enough. Her lips were soft, and sweet, and soul-searing all at once, and I couldn't bring myself to let her go even after we eased apart.

"I love you too," she murmured, burying her face in my chest again.

I smiled.

I'm so glad she finally understands.

xxxxxxx

"She can tell that you're scared."

"How could it possibly be able to tell that I'm scared? What, can it smell fear or something?"

Well, I think that might be a trick question, because when that old instructor told Mum that horses can, in fact, smell your perspiration and thereby smell fear, she didn't take too kindly to it. And since Lily's a fiery redhead just like Mum can be, I don't think it's a good idea to tell her either.

"Just trust me, she can tell you're scared. And for the record, Apple's a _she_, not an _it_. Now, relax," I instructed in what I hoped was a soothing tone. I started rubbing her neck and shoulders to get her to loosen up. It worked. Within a few minutes she was comfortable, and Apple had stopped whinnying and stamping her hooves.

"See? Now everyone's happy and she'll let you pet her, come on now…"

We went on like that for a bit, getting Lily and Apple to learn each other and get comfortable. It was all a bit mundane, really. I haven't had to go through this since I was learning to ride.

And I wasn't expecting the punch in the gut that I got when I saw her sitting on Apple's back. She was absolutely _beautiful_.

I've never seen anything like it.

"What are you smiling for?" she asked me, though she was smiling herself.

"You look like you belong up there," I told her. I knew I sounded silly, as if I was lost in a dream world, but at the moment I kind of _was_ in a dream. In a daze, at the very least.

She gave me another of her beautiful smiles. Then, very suddenly, she looked unsure.

"Do you really think I can do this?"

"Absolutely. And Sirius will be right next to you the whole time," I assured her. Right on cue, Sirius came to a halt next to Lily and gave her a smile that would make any other girl at Hogwarts faint and fall right off her horse.

Not Lily, I noted with satisfaction. Lily was all mine, and the only thing she thought about Sirius at the moment was that he was going to teach her to ride.

I don't know why that's so reassuring to me, come to think of it. Somehow the more sure I am of her love, the more jealous I get. I mean, Merlin knows that Sirius could steal any girl he wanted. But he would never betray me like that, I'm sure of it.

I waved them off and Sirius led Apple along, just making sure that Lily was holding on properly and guiding. They started at a gentle walk, and had progressed to a trot when Winnie came running up to me.

"Master James!" she gasped, looking up from her small height, "Master James is wanted in the castle by Mistress, and she needs to see Master Sirius and Mistress Lily too!"

I crouched down to listen to her, nodding and patting her on the back to help her breathe. "Alright, Winnie, thank you. I'll just get Sirius and Lily and we'll be back soon. Where is Mum?"

"Mistress is in the dining room, Master James."

"How many times do I have to ask you to stop calling me 'Master James?'" I sighed, exasperated.

"At least once more, Master James," Winnie squeaked, "As always."

I sighed again. "Thank you Winnie," I said, knowing that she wouldn't go until I dismissed her. I wish house elves would learn to think for themselves every once in a while. I mean, I bet Winnie knows better magic than I do, but here she is, calling me Master James every time I blink.

She ran back up to the manor and I turned to the track. "Oi! Mum wants us in the kitchen!"

They came back around, and Sirius talked Lily through bringing Apple to a halt. I took the reins from her and we all walked into the stables to put the horses up.

By the time we made it back to the dining room, a good half-hour had gone by.

"Well it's about time," Mum said joyfully, "I've been waiting for you lot for an hour! But here we are, take a seat and we'll get started."

"What's going on, Mum?" Sirius asked as he pulled out a chair for Lily.

"Well dears, I need you all to sample the menu for Easter dinner, we have to be sure that the soup is well-balanced after all, and we can't be having chicken that's not cooked properly, of course not…"

"James?" Lily murmured in an undertone so that only I could hear, "I haven't the faintest idea how to tell whether or not a soup is well-balanced."

I smiled. "Well you're in luck, love, because Mag never makes a soup that isn't well-balanced. Nothing to worry about, just tell Mum it's delicious and she'll let us go."

She smiled. "You're about as much help with picking out food as you are with picking out dresses."

I grinned. "Do you still love me?" I teased.

"I think I love you more," she said, giving my hand a squeeze under the table.

I grinned wider and squeezed back.

"Fantastic, Mum," Sirius was saying as Mum flicked her wand and created a picture of the décor for the evening.

I gave Lily a little nudge and murmured into her ear, "Tell her that the pastels are very elegant." She looked at me and flushed. "Trust me," I whispered.

"The…um…pastels are very elegant, Mrs. Potter," she repeated, unsure even as the words came out of her mouth.

"Oh, thank you, darling! And please, if your heart will allow it, do call me Mum. I did always want more children, but I had James at such an old age…"

And there she goes again. I swear by Merlin I honestly thought that Mum had told Lily our whole family history over Christmas, but I have a nasty feeling that she has enough embarrassing stories to last this whole week as well.

xxxxxxxx

"Alice!" I ran and crushed her into a hug.

"Lily," she gasped, laughing at my enthusiasm, "How's it been, alone with _these two_ for three whole days?"

"Hey!" James and Sirius cried indignantly. I laughed when Sirius put his hands on his hips in mock anger and started on her, "Now if you think—"

"So anyways," Alice laughed, ignoring him and turning back to me, "Where's your room? Did you get the one with the gold hangings? I'll bet you did, Mrs. Potter would never give you the pink room, James has told her too much about you for her to think that you would put up with that many frills…"

Wow.

I followed her upstairs and, to my surprise, she knew exactly how to get to my room as she chattered to me. I mean, _I_ don't even know how to get to my room yet. James has to show me every night.

This is a side of Alice I really haven't seen before. I mean, she just really doesn't show the side of her that's a rich pure-blood, but…I don't know. I suppose I should have expected it.

Still, she's talking a mile a minute about things where I haven't even got the speed of a snail.

Luckily though, they're all helping, which is good. James and Sirius have been whispering the proper responses into my ear for the past few days. And I give them a lot of credit for that, considering that they are Marauders, after all. They could have seriously embarrassed me in front of Mr. and Mrs. Potter. The only thing that really shocked me was the horses, but I was too excited to really be concerned about that at the time.

But…it's just…I don't know. I've just never felt so displaced as I do right now. I mean, over Christmas it was just the Potters and me for most of the time, except on Christmas evening, so I didn't feel so much like a fish out of water. But now, having to participate in the preparations and see how they all know it…it's second nature to them.

I've never realized how we were all really worlds apart. Or rather, how _I_ was worlds apart from _them_.

I mean, I've just never understood before…it's just, at Hogwarts everyone has similar things, well, at least my family has enough money to buy me the best cauldrons and new robes every year and…I thought that I was equal to them.

But, socially, they are miles above me. I mean, I've never seen riches quite like this, and I never realized that they think this is _normal_.

I mean, what did James think of my house when he saw it? He probably thought it was a rundown old shack!

Well, it's probably best not to bring it up. I mean, do I want to hear them say that they don't care about money? I don't care about it either…I think.

I just hope I don't embarrass myself and poor James by not knowing what in the name of Merlin I should be doing.

xxxxxxxxx

"Why are you wearing a pink tie?"

"Real men wear pink, Moony," Sirius told him, grinning.

I laughed. "It's an Easter color, Moony, there's nothing wrong with it."

"_Still_, why are you wearing _pink_?" He insisted, glaring at the offending tie, "You could have worn green, lavender, yellow, blue—"

"Oh, oh, _do_ wear a baby blue, Sirius, it brings out your eyes so nicely!" I said, jumping up and down.

Remus glared at me. "You're completely missing the point, Prongs. I, for one, don't want one of my best mates going downstairs looking like a fruit—"

Sirius laughed, "No, _you're_ missing the point, Moony. If I go downstairs with a pink tie on, it will be a major talking point and all the girls will use it as a conversation starter."

"Oh!" Peter said as though he had just had an epiphany, "Is that why you're making yourself look like a fruit?"

I couldn't stop laughing at that display of utter naivety.

"We'll see who's the fruit at the end of the night, boys," Sirius told them both before clapping me on the back and pushing me out of the room.

Well, Sirius was anxious to get downstairs to get at all the pretty girls. But my pretty girl wasn't anywhere to be seen. She must have still been getting dressed with Alice. Honestly, I don't understand why it takes girls so long to dress. I mean, all they have to do is put on _one_ article of clothing! Blokes have to put on a whole shirt and suit and then figure out the inner workings of a tie! Not to mention folding handkerchiefs and matching cuff-links to watches! I mean, I even managed to get my hair to lie flat! If we can get dressed so quickly, they certainly can too.

I sighed though, and just waited at the bottom of the staircase for her. It's not like I really wanted to talk to anyone else anyway. Sirius had led Remus and Peter off to teach them how to talk to girls, and nearly everyone else is a friend of Mum or Dad.

I checked my watch.

Thirty seconds had gone by.

Fantastic.

I was almost going to be really horrible and sneak into her room when she finally appeared at the top of the stairs, with Alice leading.

And right then I got that feeling again.

That beautiful, wonderful, _glorious_ feeling that I got when I saw her in her Christmas gown. I mean, I always get an amazing feeling when I see her, but there is just something else about knowing that she got all dressed up just for _me_.

And she was _beautiful_!

Oh, I've never seen anyone look so wonderful in lavender. And the way the gown flowed from her waist to her feet in such billowy waves…it really made her look like she was more fantasy than real.

I almost didn't want to touch her, she looked so beautiful. But when she reached the bottom of the steps my long ingrained manners took over and I found myself offering my hand automatically.

"My love," I said softly as her warm, smooth skin touched mine, "You are stunning."

She blushed and Alice laughed. "I'll just go find the boys then," She said, wandering off.

Lily watched her go, but her attention was only for me when I took her hand and kissed it. "I can't wait to show you off tonight, beautiful," I told her, offering her my arm and sweeping her into the ballroom.

She gave me a smile, but then she suddenly looked unsure.

"What?" I nudged her.

"Nothing," she said, unconvincingly.

"Lily." I'm sure she knew from my tone that I didn't believe her in the slightest.

She gave me another smile. "Really, it's nothing."

When she saw that my expression didn't change she finally surrendered.

"Oh, all right, just, don't make fun of me, okay?" When I nodded she went on, "I'm just…worried that I won't know exactly what to do or say…if I'm embarrassing myself, do you promise you'll tell me?"

I laughed softly. "Lily, love, you are a very classy girl, so you won't embarrass yourself."

"But how am I supposed to know if I'm doing everything right?" She demanded with the most adorable cross expression on her face. Not at all up to her usual standard of fiery tantrums. "How am I to know if I'm using the wrong fork, James? How?"

I laughed, but stopped quickly at the look on her face.

"This isn't about which fork to use, is it?"

"It is!" She hissed, trying to keep her voice down. I could tell she was aggravated. "How am I supposed to know—"

"It's not just about the fork," I told her calmly but firmly. Her anger fizzled out rather quickly, then. "Lily, tell me."

She wouldn't meet my eyes and mumbled something to my chest.

"Sorry, love, didn't quite catch that."

She sighed and raised her voice slightly, but still wouldn't meet my eyes. "What if I embarrass _you_? I don't come from this world, James…I never realized before how much _money_ you have, and…I don't want to be this bimbo you brought home who doesn't know a shrimp fork from a dessert fork or how to properly fold my napkin when I'm finished with the meal or—"

I cut her off with a kiss, smiling as I did so.

Under normal circumstances, that probably would have fueled her temper, but right then, I could tell she needed the reassurance.

"Sweet, beautiful love, you are not going to embarrass me. And if you don't know what to do, just look at what I'm doing, sweetheart. Better yet, we'll find Alice and you can follow what she does, sometimes the rules for men and women are different, after all."

"Are you sure?"

I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "Yes. Now stop worrying. You're supposed to be having _fun_."

"I'll get right on that," she told me sarcastically.

I smiled. "That's my girl. Now, love, are you telling me that we're going to need to talk about money later?"

She looked into my eyes, thinking. Then she squeezed my hand. "You're _sure_ I don't embarrass you?"

"How could I possibly be embarrassed by finally dating the one girl I've chased for six years?"

She examined me carefully, I think she was trying to decide if I was lying. Then she shook her head, sending her glorious red waves cascading over her shoulders.

"No, we don't need to have a talk about it later."

xxxxxxx

"Hey," he murmured softly from the door.

"Hey," I answered, turning on the light.

He grinned. "You were waiting for me?"

"You know I can't sleep without you."

I probably shouldn't have told him that. He sauntered over to the bed and leaned over me, his face a breath from mine.

"I love you."

"Great, now get in bed."

"Pushy, pushy," he told me, still grinning. I kissed his smile.

"Yeah, I can tell you have a major problem with that."

He kissed me again. "Mmm, I do. So you'll have to let me hold you all night to make up for it."

"Aw, do I have to?" I pretended to whine.

He nodded with an evil grin on his face. "And if you keep up the whining, you'll have to let me kiss you all night, too."

"That would be horrible," I murmured right before I placed a soft peck on his lips.

"Mmmm, so don't make me do that to you," he said, kissing me back.

xxxxxxx

"Do you think James got to her room yet?"

"Oh, if he's anything like me, he was there an hour ago," Mr. Potter answered. "But you know all about that, love."

Mrs. Potter blushed and laughed slightly. "Oh, don't remind me, William! My mother caught you sneaking into my room that one night!"

"Mmm…" he said, nuzzling her neck softly as they went up the stairs, "but she was nowhere to be seen the other hundred times…"

Mrs. Potter gave him a playful push. "William, don't talk like such a scoundrel!"

"You love the scoundrel," he said before kissing her lips lightly. They had reached the top of the stairs and he led her to their room.

"I do," she admitted softly, staring into his hazel eyes.

He smiled and pulled her into bed.

xxxxxxxxx

I hope you all liked it! And just in case I lost you with this last little section, that would be Mr. and Mrs. Potter talking. I don't know why I felt like adding that in, but I did. So please, let me know what you think! I love both praise and criticism, and I've actually started answering questions from my reviewers as well.


	31. If one remembers to turn on the light

Hello Everyone!

So chapter 31, here. Sorry for the long absence and the short chapter. I've had a bit of writer's block because of the last chapter. That taste of fluff had me seriously sick of how dark the story was getting. We're back on track now, though, hopefully a bit lighter in a realistic way. James and Lily have decided to look for the small moments of happiness, rather than constantly dwell on all the depressive things that are happening to them. Poor kids. But anyways, let me know what you think, and if I lightened it too quickly please let me know.

A big thank you goes out to all my reviewers, who are absolutely fantastic! Reviews are wonderful things and I can promise you that you make an author's day when you review. Everyone appreciates constructive criticism. So, thank you to _PottedLilies, SecretlyAGryffindor, bluvmomma, wolfgirl111, UndercoverHufflepuff, Sarahrules336, Asidill, Lovinthehorses, and EnglishGrlVerity_. You guys are awesome :D

And thank you to everyone who added me to their favorites/alerts lists! You guys always make me smile :)

I hope you enjoy!

xxxxxx

"Bublosa!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Alice's jinx ricocheted off my shield and was absorbed by the padding that now lined the walls.

"Well done on the strength, Miss Evans, however you need to be practicing _silent_ incantations at this point…Mr. Black, a little more oomph, I think, and you've got it…Exactly, Mr. Lupin, _exactly_! Well done, don't forget to practice the next one now…"

It went on like that for hours. Dumbledore was drilling us, every available moment, it seemed. You'd think that was impossible, considering that he has more important things to tend to than a bunch of teenagers, but when he's not here he sends McGonagall or Flitwick to keep us going. I don't even have time for real homework anymore.

I mean, I do have a much better understanding of magic now, and I'll probably be able to pass all my NEWTS with no problems, and the lessons are quite fun most of the time, but still…I miss the old Hogwarts.

It's childish, but I can't help myself.

I am a child.

Why should I have to grow up so quickly? Why should any of us have to?

xxxxxxx

I laid on the couch, stroking her silky hair and staring into the fire.

Sometimes I forgot that I was only a seventeen year old boy, and that I was entitled to small moments of happiness throughout the day. But then she would come to me, and I would take her in my arms, and I would remember to be happy.

She's the happiest I've ever been, after all. But it's just not fair that I chased her for so long, knowing that her love would make me happy, and when I finally got her there's all _this_ to deal with.

I never factored an evil wizard into the equation. Never made room for him in my fantasies of loving her, marrying her, making her the mother of my children…telling her that grey is just as fiery as red…

I sighed. Just don't ruin the moment.

She stirred slightly at my deep breath and looked up at me.

"Is something wrong, love?" she asked, reaching up to stroke my cheek.

"No," I murmured softly. It wasn't completely a lie. I just decided that I won't think about this right now. "Just thinking about you, beautiful."

She smiled, and my heart truly leapt for the first time in days. She pushed herself up and kissed me, soft and slow.

"I was dreaming about you," she murmured into my ear. My eyes closed of their own accord when she started running her fingers through my hair.

"Oh?" I managed to answer.

"Mmmm." She was purring now, trailing kisses along my jaw…moving down my neck…

"I take it that it was a good dream?"

I felt her smile against my collarbone. "Very."

I couldn't help it then. I grinned, ear to ear. Evil wizard be damned, I was going to be _happy_.

xxxxxxx

"Guess what?" she murmured softly after she finished nibbling on my ear.

Honestly I don't care. Just keep snogging me.

"Mmm, what?"

"I have a surprise for you."

"What?"

"A surprise," she repeated, sitting back and looking at me as though she was disappointed in my reaction. "You know, for your birthday?"

I was confused.

"Well, I mean, I know your birthday was a week ago but I haven't had a chance to give it to you yet…so…can I give it to you now?"

"Ummm…yes?"

What could she give me anyway? I already have everything. Well, the only thing I didn't have was her, and now I have her, and there's nothing else I really want—

"If you don't want it now that's fine," she was saying in a rush, reading my expression incorrectly, I guess, "I can just wait for some other time—"

I kissed her, hopefully stopping her silly little panic attack.

"Right…" she mumbled a few minutes later, obviously in a daze. I grinned for being the one who put her in that condition. "I'll just go get it now then…"

But she didn't move from my lap.

"Sweetheart? Is something wrong?"

She shook her head, unsure. "Just…dizzy."

I laughed and kissed her again.

When we finally eased apart again she just collapsed against my chest and tried to breathe as I stroked her hair. I laughed quietly to myself. I can't believe that I really have this effect on her. I can't believe that having that kind of effect on her would have such an effect on _me_.

After a while she sat back and looked into my eyes. "Okay, I think I can move now."

I grinned. "Was that an invitation to make you dizzy again?"

She blushed, but she smiled and pushed me away, giggling. "Not until I give you your present."

"Okay," I pouted, letting her slip out of my arms and hurry up to her room. She came back a few moments later clutching something behind her back. I cocked an eyebrow at her as she settled back into my lap. "Can we snog now?"

She slapped my shoulder. Lightly though, I know she's going to let me snog her some more in a minute.

"Okay, close your eyes," she said softly. I did as I was told. She kissed me lightly, placing something around my neck as she did so. I felt cool metal and warm fingers against my skin. I wasn't sure which was the one that gave me gooseflesh.

"Okay," she murmured against my ear, "You can open them now."

I didn't. I pulled her flush against me and started snogging the living daylights out of her again.

She definitely wasn't complaining.

xxxxxxx

"What have you two been up to?" Sirius asked suspiciously as he surveyed my expression. I'm sure I was grinning like an idiot.

"That's private, Sirius. Just because I like you doesn't mean I won't hex you for getting too nosy," Lily answered him. I obeyed her silent order as she tugged me to the couch.

"Prongs?" Sirius turned to me, probably hoping for some back-up.

I just couldn't stop grinning.

"Padfoot, mate, if you make her stop wanting to snog me, I'll probably hex you myself."

He crossed his arms and looked me in the eye. "I'm going to forgive you because I know you can't think straight right now. But Miss Lily," he said, turning to her, "If you take him away from me so help you Merlin—"

"Oh _don't worry_, Sirius," Lily laughed, "just don't get nosy about our…erm…personal relationship issues."

"Doesn't look like you've got all that many _issues_," Peter muttered from an armchair, "You seem to be getting along famously, in fact…"

I couldn't help grinning at that.

I glanced around the Heads' common room, which had become a sort of unofficial meeting place for the practice sessions we were having, and saw everyone huddled into two groups. The boys, Lily, and I were bantering on one side, but Alice, Frank, Marlene, and Emmeline seemed to be having a much more serious conversation. Remus noticed my distraction.

"So, when's Dumbledore getting here?" He asked, tapping his watch and glancing at the windows. "Did he send you an owl to cancel the lesson?"

"I think they were a bit busy to be watching for owls, Moony," Sirius pointed out dryly.

"Right," Remus mumbled, blushing slightly.

"Why in such a hurry? Did you have a hot date planned with the lovely Miss Fawcett?" Sirius prodded, glad of something else to talk about.

Remus blushed. "Well, we certainly didn't _plan_ it to be a hot date, Padfoot…but I was supposed to meet her for dinner, and we'll see how the evening progresses from there…"

Sirius let out his barking laugh, then actually got up to clap Remus on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Moony, I'm sure you'll do just fine if you play your cards right—Professor Flitwick! So nice to see you! This works wonderfully, Professor, you'll let Remus out early so that he can go see Isabella, won't you?"

"Good Afternoon, Mr. Black!" Flitwick trilled in his high voice, "What's this now? You want to leave the safety of this circle to go see someone, Mr. Lupin?"

Remus blushed. Poor bloke, Sirius has a knack for putting Remus in some sticky situations.

"Well, Professor, I have a young lady waiting on me for dinner, and I can't very well go back on my word…"

"I should think not, I should think not," Flitwick agreed, his large head wobbling dangerously on his tiny body, "bring her back here after dinner, then, I'm sure none of the others will mind."

Alice cleared her throat in the corner. Well, it's not that any of us would _mind_, it's just that—

"Well, Professor, she doesn't really know about everything that's been happening recently—"

"You mean to tell me that you have put this young lady in danger time and again without even informing her of it?" Flitwick demanded.

Oh, and he doesn't even know the half of it.

Poor Remus. That reminder is definitely not good for him right now.

"I take it this is a lady-friend of yours?" Flitwick demanded. Remus nodded miserably. "Well, Mr. Lupin, you will inform her tonight about the happenings here at Hogwarts, and, if she chooses, you will bring her here after dinner. I shudder to think what might have happened if the two of you were caught unawares and she were unable to defend herself! Do you have any idea—"

"Well, Professor," Frank interjected, "They would hardly have been caught alone and unawares. I mean, we take turns watching the Slytherins, and we know where they are at all times—"

"He's right, Professor," I added, trying to help defend Remus, who was looking downright miserable at the moment. "There's always some of us keeping tabs on them, making sure they're staying out of trouble."

"Be that as it may, boys, this is very serious. And I expect to see Miss Fawcett here, tonight, Mr. Lupin, or I shall be having a chat with her myself about her decision."

"Yes, Professor," Remus nodded miserably.

xxxxxxxx

Isabella wasn't as mundane as I thought she was. She managed to not gossip, at least.

Although I can't help wondering if she's going to leave this room and all of Hogwarts will suddenly know that we're having private lessons with Dumbledore. I certainly hope not.

"Izzy, darling?" Remus had said tentatively when he brought her through the door, "This is it."

She had looked around, surveying the room around her nervously—we had all stopped to stare, after all—and then Flitwick's voice rang out in the sudden silence.

"Wonderful, Miss Fawcett! A wise decision indeed, do come and be partnered with Mr. Longbottom, then…"

And it went from there.

Admittedly, she's not very good at spells. Well, I mean, she's not bad at them, by any means, I've been in class with her before. She is a Ravenclaw, after all, but she doesn't have the drive…no, not the drive…the reason? No….determination, maybe…no, not really…vindication? No, not quite vindication, but _motivation_. She doesn't have the _motivation_.

Because if there's one thing that I have learned about magic, it's that you'll only learn what you think you need to know. Magic is all about application, you know, and if you don't think it applies, there's only so much that you'll be able to learn. And we all know why we want to learn this, but I suppose it's fair if she doesn't understand yet.

I hope she never understands at all, actually.

I mean, Emmeline lost her brother, Frank lost his two cousins. Alice is terrified because her whole family is fighting, Sirius is horrified because _his_ whole family is fighting on the wrong side. Remus is convinced that he has to make up for being a werewolf, Peter is scared to loose his friends to this whole thing, James is fighting for me…and…and I'm fighting for Mum and Dad…and Petunia.

We all understand.

But Isabelle doesn't yet. She's not motivated.

And I can _honestly_ say…I hope she never is.

xxxxxxxx

When I finally got around to looking in a mirror, a few hours later, I had to stare at what she had given me.

It was perfect.

I don't know where she found it, or if she had it made, but it was perfect for me.

I stared at a gold chain with a small, pinkie-sized emerald snitch. I carefully unclasped it, weighing it in my hands, and I felt the happiness of getting such a gift from _Lily Evans_. Suddenly eager for details, I stared at the necklace, taking in the golden wings, their feathery wisps and how they were molded into the chain. I took in the soft chain links, and their almost inaudible clinking as they glided against each other in my hand.

And I took in the emerald itself. Its shade was an exact replica of her beautiful eyes. I could look at it and see her looking back at me. She couldn't have given me anything that I would cherish more.

I carefully put it back on, not wanting to tarnish or scratch it in any way. This necklace was going to be safe until the day I died.

I looked back into the mirror and smiled. It fit there. It was right where it should be.

I went off to crawl into bed with Lily for some thank-you snogging.

xxxxxxx

I hope you liked it!


	32. The Weakest Link

Hello Everyone!

Chapter 32 here! So, this is sort of a new problem. I set it up earlier, but now it's actually looking us in the eye. And I hope you don't argue with me about it because I've had an epiphany and I realized that this is how it has to be. That was cryptic. Sorry. But anyways, yeah, this is how it has to be. James and Lily might be a little confusing in this chapter. There's a little bit of fluff somewhere in the middle, and I'm not sure if they switch gears a little too quickly to be genuine, so please let me know what you think about that.

Thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers! Thank you to _EnglishGrlVerity, SnarkySidekick, UndercoverHufflepuff, PottedLilies, and Sarahrules336_. You guys are wonderful :)

And thank you to everyone who added me to their favorites/alerts lists!

So, here it is, I hope you enjoy, and I hope you choose to review.

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"Where's Peter?" Sirius asked, suddenly sitting up and looking at the door.

"Remedial Potions, Padfoot, why?" I answered, confused by his sudden alertness. Why was he in such a dark mood about it?

"Remedial Potions should have been over by now. He should have been here."

Remus sighed. "Just go get the map, Prongs, it will make him feel better."

"Alright then," I said, getting up to go fetch the map from my room. Lily kept hold of my hand until I was too far to touch. I gave her my best smile before I walked away.

"Alright," I muttered to myself when I got up to my room. "Map…map…where did I leave it? Oh, bugger this! Accio, Marauders' Map!" I said quietly, not wanting anyone below to hear that I misplaced it. It zoomed into my outstretched hand from under Lily's school robes. Well, I'll have to mention that to her, turns out you _can_ lose things even with your clothes folded into a neat pile rather than strewn over the floor…

"I've got it!" I called as I raced back down the stairs. _I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good_, I thought as I tapped the parchment. By the time I got back to the couch all the lines had appeared and I started searching for Peter. Sirius had me worried now, too.

"There he is," Remus said, catching him on the fourth floor. Then he frowned. "Why isn't he moving?"

I watched as he disappeared from the map for a moment. He reappeared in about a second, but not before my heart skipped a few beats.

"Let's go," I said, checking my pocket for my wand. "No, Lily, you stay here—"

"Don't even think about it, James Potter."

"Alright, fine," I said, not having the time to argue with her. I've never seen anyone _flicker_ on the map before, this can't be good. "Just stick with me. Let's get a move on, yeah? It's a ways to the fourth floor."

"Wait," she said, grabbing my arm, "Let's disillusion ourselves, just in case."

"Good idea, Lils," Sirius said, standing before her as though waiting in a line, "If there's anyone there they won't be able to see, at least."

"What?" I asked.

He just shook his head. "I don't like the looks of this, James. If he's hurt…well, this has Slytherin written all over it."

I checked the map. "No one's there, Sirius, look. Even if they were invisible they'd show up, and I'd rather not lose track of anyone by disillusioning us all."

Remus nodded, checking the map where I pointed. "There isn't anyone there, and if we're all going to be able to stick together…"

"Oh, alright then," Lily sighed, stowing her wand back into her jeans. "But you keep a look-out on that map, James, just in case."

We nearly raced out the door.

xxxxxxx

We should have run faster.

When we got there he was in a pool of what I can only assume was his own blood. Lily went and checked him.

"He's alive."

"Well of course he is," Sirius said brusquely, "He's still on the map."

"Padfoot!" I said sharply. I mean, I understand, but still. "Go get Pomfrey. Moony, go get Dumbledore."

They ran off in opposite directions.

"Wait!" Lily yelled after them both. "You have to let me Disillusion you now!"

They raced back, conceding, and then quickly ran off again after she disillusioned them.

Suddenly there was dead silence in the corridor.

"Can you do anything for him?"

She did a diagnostic spell, then shook her head. "We have to wait."

I went and knelt by his side. I can't believe that Peter is…well…

Lily was suddenly by my side. She conjured a cloth and a bowl with some water. Gently, slowly, she dabbed at his face, wiping away the blood that had splattered there. She dared not touch the rest of him, though. I imagine that she didn't want to run the risk of dirtying the wounds.

Oh, Peter. I knew we should have gone to pick him up. I don't know why he insisted on being alone. I mean, we all use the buddy system now, it's not like he has anything to prove…but I know he thinks he does.

There was a loud crack and I sensed his presence.

"This is exactly as you found him?" The deep voice resonated through the arched hall.

"Well," Lily answered, near tears, "I tried to clean him up a bit, just to get rid of some of the blood…"

She broke down then. I pulled her in fiercely and held her tight.

I watched Dumbledore over Lily's head as he ran a few of his own diagnostic spells. After the longest minute in history, he nodded to himself.

"James, Lily, go fetch Professor Slughorn. Poppy, you've arrived, we must take him to the hospital wing…"

His voice faded quickly as I raced after Lily. She almost flew to the dungeons and I did my best to fly after her. If she thinks I'm going to let her out of my sight after this—

"Professor!" She screamed, pounding on his office door, "Professor Slughorn! It's Lily! Dumbledore needs you up in the fourth floor right away!"

He opened the door, one arm in his robes, looking slightly distressed.

"What's this now? What does Dumbledore want with me at this—"

He stopped dead when he saw our faces.

"Well, off we go then," he said, quickly regaining his composure and ushering us out the door and back up the stairs. "What's happened?"

"Peter Pettigrew has been attacked on the fourth floor," I told him, frustrated with his pace. He was running, or trying to, but he was so slow that we might have decided to all go for a stroll in the moonlight.

"Well, at least you can recognize the poor chap this time," I heard him mutter under his breath. Then louder he said, "Pettigrew? Why I just dismissed him from remedial potions! He should have been—well, it doesn't matter now. Where on the fourth floor?"

"Near the Charms corridor," Lily called over her shoulder. "Hurry, Professor, the Headmaster must need your help _immediately_."

"Yes, yes," he huffed, making an effort to move faster. It didn't help much. Honestly, I may as well start walking but I think that would hurt his precious elitist ego.

Finally, we got to the hospital wing and rushed over to the only occupied bed.

"Albus?" Slughorn huffed as he came to a halt. "What's happened here? What can I help with?"

Dumbledore had turned to our noisy approach. "Horace. A student has been internally lacerated. I need you to make the remedial potion."

Slughorn nodded, sending his many chins into a flounce. "Right away, right away. Do you have the ingredients here, Poppy? No? Well, I'm afraid that I'll have to send some of the children to fetch them, I'm getting on in years, you know, I can't be running up and down the stairs nearly this much—"

"No need," Dumbledore said in the voice reserved only for dealing with an overdramatic Slughorn. He conjured the ingredients on a silver platter, along with a pewter cauldron. "This is your area of expertise, of course, but I believe a Balming Draught is needed."

Slughorn nodded, turning to Pomfrey. "Poppy? What do you suggest?"

"A Balming Draught seems to be our best option, Horace, best to get started on it now. I've patched him up but he will need the potion before long…"

I turned to Dumbledore. "But Headmaster, he was bleeding everywhere, how could he have been _internally_ lacerated?"

"The internal lacerations were not the extent of his injuries," Dumbledore said. At this point I noticed that Lily was shaking and pulled her into my arms again. Dunbledore continued, "But Madam Pomfrey has been able to completely heal all but the internal lacerations."

He paused for a moment and looked down at Lily shaking in my arms, then at Sirius and Remus by Peter's bedside, before meeting my eyes again. "Do not fret. He will be fine."

I nodded, pulling Lily closer.

I hated how I was beginning to redefine the word 'fine.'

xxxxxxx

It was a wrench to pull the boys away for breakfast this morning.

Of course, I know why. I'd have to be a complete idiot to not know why.

It's just…they look at him like a little brother. It's not so much that they like him as it is that they feel almost…honor-bound, even obliged, to take care of him. At least that's what it looks like to me. I suppose I don't really know the whole of it, but it always seemed like he had nothing to offer the other three.

He was their little brother, that's all.

And they protected him fiercely. As they should.

But to find, after all that hard work, that they allowed his own insecurities to hurt him so badly…I _know_ that they're all cut up about it.

So getting them to breakfast was hard.

Getting them to eat was harder.

It was a silent ordeal. I expected as much. My only goal was to get food into their mouths. Happy conversation was a hurtle that I wasn't willing to attempt at this point.

Honestly, I didn't have the stomach for happy conversation either.

I mean, okay, so they got Peter. Peter is admittedly weaker than everyone else. But what if they got Remus? Or Sirius?

Or James?

I would die if they hurt James.

I shuddered and took James's hand, squeezing it tightly.

We couldn't let this happen again. There's no telling what might happen next time.

xxxxxxxx

"Sirius?" I said softly. He looked up at me from under his long bangs. I pushed the locks back so that I could see his eyes. "James and Remus want to talk to you."

He just glared at me reproachfully in answer.

I sighed. "Go on, I'll be here with him if he wakes up."

He stared at Peter for another moment before getting up and stalking toward the door of the hospital wing.

Holy Merlin, if they're this crazy about leaving him alone _now_, what are they going to do during class tomorrow? They can't skip all day. And it's the full moon tomorrow night. What's Remus going to do?

Well, maybe he can keep Peter company for the next few days, then.

God, am I a horrible person for just thinking that?

The boys were gone for a long time. Or maybe it just felt like a long time because I was alone with a sleeping Peter.

Admittedly, he's not my favorite company when he's awake, either.

I sighed and settled back into my chair to wait.

xxxxxxxx

I glanced around at Remus and Sirius.

"I don't need you to come with me," Remus finally said, "I can go on my own."

I shook my head as Sirius said, "Moony, we can go with you, that's not the problem. I'm sure Wormtail will understand—"

"He's not even supposed to wake up for a whole week, Moony," I encouraged, "We can come with you and still be there for him."

Now Remus was shaking his head at both of us. "This is one week when I really don't want to see all of us in the hospital wing at once, if you don't mind, boys."

I didn't have any answer to that.

"We'll be fine, Moony, we always are," Sirius urged.

Remus sighed, whether in determination or defeat, I don't know.

"I guess we'll see tomorrow night," he finally said, looking around at the two of us. "Right now I was to go get some sleep."

"Let me go get Lily," I said quietly. "We'll all walk together."

When Lily and I finally got back to our dorm she pulled me straight up to bed.

"I'm exhausted," she whispered, falling into bed without even bothering to change out of her school uniform.

I couldn't help but smile at the sight of her hair, spread around her face like a fiery halo. I transfigured her school robes into a replica of her nightgown.

"Hey!" Her eyes flew open in protest.

Well, maybe not an _exact_ replica of her nightgown.

Ok, it wasn't a replica of her nightgown at all, it was a black, lacy bustier, but I couldn't help it. For one, it would be great to look at, and two, I knew her expression would be priceless. I desperately needed a laugh.

I stifled the all-out laugh but allowed myself a chuckle as I climbed into bed and slipped my arms around her.

She smacked my shoulder in answer.

"Oh, come on, love," I told her, grinning, "it looks good on you. You should wear things like that more often."

She rolled her eyes at me. "James Potter, only you would transfigure a gigantic school robe into a tiny piece of fabric."

Wow, isn't she going to yell at me for making her wear said tiny piece of fabric?

"You have to admit, that was good transfiguration," I said, trying a different route.

She sighed. "Yes, it was."

"Good enough for a little kiss, even."

"Don't push your luck, James. If I'm letting you see this much skin, all you get to do is look."

"Aw, but that's torture! You can't be ser—"

She put her fingertips up to my lips. "Goodnight, James."

I groaned. "Goodnight, love."

But then I looked her up and down before I pulled the covers up, and I went to sleep grinning.

xxxxxxx

I sat, waiting up for James.

I was always a wreck when he went out with Remus. I mean, when most girls encourage their beaus to bond with mates it doesn't usually involve a dangerous werewolf.

Or animal transfiguration at all, for that matter, even at a place like Hogwarts.

I tried to sleep, I really did. And when James would come back I would pretend to be asleep so that he wouldn't worry about _my_ rest along with his own.

I think he saw through me though, just a little.

And I think he saw through my mask.

When he would get dressed the next morning, and I would see bruises littering his torso, I knew that those were the least of his injuries; the gashes and gaping cuts were healed by himself or Sirius in the wee morning hours.

I would look at those bruises and do my best to hide my worry…and an odd desire to kiss each bruise as though it were some sort of medal of bravery.

Well, I told you it was odd, what did you expect?

Well, like I was saying, I think he saw through me.

But he wouldn't stop.

I knew he never would.

Because James can't help but run to the person that he thinks needs him most. So I pretend to go to sleep, so that he can pretend that I don't need him, so that he can go help Remus.

But he knows.

And when he finally crawled into bed at 4:30 in the morning, he rolled over and gathered me into his strong arms, knowing that I wasn't asleep.

That I had been waiting.

xxxxxxx

Peter slept through the week, just as Madam Pomfrey had told us he would. We all spent Friday racing to the hospital wing between classes, hoping to be there when he woke. But the classes came and went, and the day came and went, and he was still asleep.

This was a good thing, I think, because it meant that we could actually be with him on Saturday, when he should have woken.

But he didn't wake.

He didn't wake until Sunday evening, after we had spent our whole weekend sitting in the hospital wing, just staring at him.

"Hey, Wormtail," Sirius said, trying for a cheerful voice. "Nice to see you again."

"Hey," Peter managed to reply groggily. He looked slowly about the hospital wing. "Where am I?"

"Hospital wing, mate. But don't worry, Madam Pomfrey says you're fine," I assured him.

Remus was glancing anxiously from Peter to Madam Pomfrey's office door. "Maybe I should fetch her and see if she wants to check you one more time…"

"No, she'll be here in a minute, I'm sure," Sirius reassured him. "She said that he would be fine when he woke."

"Yeah?" Peter asked, collapsing back onto his pillow and closing his eyes again.

"Yeah, she said you wouldn't wake until you were completely healed, and that you would be fine as soon as you woke."

"I'm sure she'll want to check him though," I told Sirius. "Probably keep him another night so that she make sure he's alright."

Sirius and Remus nodded.

Peter just kept quiet and kept his eyes shut. None of us wanted to disturb him, but Madam Pomfrey has a sixth sense for these things, and within five minutes she had come out to check on her patient.

"Is he up? I thought I heard a few tries at speaking," she said, business-like.

Peter opened his eyes in answer, so the rest of us kept quiet.

"Welcome back, Mr. Pettigrew. You've had quite a recovery."

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I hope you liked it!

And I'm going to try something new. I'm going to ask you all very politely to review. So please, this is my polite request for reviews :)


	33. Plain, Old Fashioned Justification

Hello everyone :)

Chapter 33 here. I think if you were confused about my epiphany last chapter you'll probably understand the general idea this chapter, although it won't actually come to fruition for some time. In fact, it probably won't actually come to fruition until the sequel to this story, which will be about their life after Hogwarts. But yeah, and if you are confused about this first part at all, I'll make it very clear right now that Peter Pettigrew is speaking. The little rat. Did you ever think that since James, Sirius, and Lily were supposed to be so brilliant, one of these brilliant minds should have thought, "hey, let's not trust our lives to a _rat_?" Ugh, well, I suppose if they hadn't, we wouldn't have a story to read about.

So I have a huge thank you this chapter for everyone who reviewed last time! That was so amazing to get all those reviews! Thank you to _EnglishGrlVerity, Sarahrules336, SecretlyAGryffindor, nitaro48, MEL-ODiE – MEL-ODRAMATIC, Asidill, UndercoverHufflepuff, PottedLilies, MyTinyDancer, XXJamesLilyXX, harrypotter713, joesbaby14, Primrosefox, missivypotter, and Jordan_.

Just a side note – to everyone above who was supposed to have punctuation in the middle of their names, I didn't put the punctuation because FanFiction tends to delete anyone that I write with punctuation. Don't ask me why, I have no idea.

And Thank you to everyone who added me to their favorites/alerts lists! You guys are absolutely wonderful :D

Wow, I think that's the longest author's note that I've written so far.

Here it is, I hope you enjoy! And please review :D

xxxxxxx

They couldn't protect me.

That's what it boils down to, isn't it?

They can protect _Lily_…but I suppose I'm not doing anyone any _sexual favors_, they'd have no reason to be so worried about protecting _me_.

Little old Peter Pettigrew. Not important enough for them, am I.

Well, I guess I was wrong about them. I thought they were my friends.

But friends are there for each other, when they're in need. They help each other, they stand up for each other.

They _protect_ each other.

How is it, that the strongest, brightest group of people in the school couldn't keep me safe?

Well, I suppose that disproves everyone's theory, doesn't it? They've been knocked off the top spot, at least here in Hogwarts. They're not the best.

Someone outsmarted them.

That is, assuming that they were actually doing their best to keep me safe.

I think they were. I mean, they say they're my best friends.

xxxxxxx

We walked into transfiguration a few minutes early, early enough to catch McGonagall reprimanding one of the second years. I couldn't help but hear some of their conversation.

"And what have I already made clear to you, Mr. Patel?"

The boy looked sullen, but he answered in a carefully contrite monotone. Apparently he's had trouble with McGonagall before. "If the thought of a spell makes me giggle for more than fifteen seconds, I am to assume that I am not allowed to do it."

I coughed to hide a laugh.

Lily wasn't as successful at hiding her giggle next to me. I smirked when she squeezed my hand and looked up at me. Oh, the memories. McGonagall used to make the boys and me recite that line almost every day.

Eventually she gave up and just had us write it a hundred times a week and turn in the assignment.

Of course, that never actually _worked_, because after the first week we mastered a charm to write it once and then duplicate it on the parchment. Oh, and don't think that Remus was good and did his lines, either. He was the one who actually found out about the charm in the first place.

Sirius clapped my shoulder as we took our seats. "Remind you of old times, mate?"

Remus sniggered, "How could it not?"

I grinned and whispered back to them, "Good old memory lane."

"Boys?" came McGonagall's stern voice. Lily laughed outright as we all immediately straightened up and put on our innocent expressions. I could have sworn that I saw McGonagall smile just a little bit too.

"I shall expect, of course, that you will assist Mr. Pettigrew in catching up. He missed two essays last week," she continued, then turned to Peter, "And you shall have to come in at another time, Mr. Pettigrew, to make up the lessons you missed. We practiced advanced inorganic to organic transfiguration last week."

She gave us all a final look that was clearly torn between suspicion and amusement. Then she returned to her desk at the front of the class.

Once the chimes rang out across the grounds, McGonagall began lecturing about transfiguration with size difference. We were to change a tea cozy into a baby grand, but the trick was, of course, to change from a small object to a large.

Lily was, as always, having a little trouble. Good news for me, as that means I get to wrap my arm around her to show her how to do the proper wand movement.

"The trick is in the flick of the wrist, sweetheart, you could be doing everything else right—"

"But I _am_ flicking my wrist! It's still not working."

"Try it again, let me see," I told her patiently.

She sighed, already frustrated, and tried it again.

It didn't work.

So then she just prodded the tea cozy with her wand and it grew to three times its size.

I did my best not to laugh as I shook my head. "It's not an engorgement charm, Lily, that's not going to help."

"Well, what is it, then?" she said, her voice starting to rise in exasperation.

"You have to remember the engorgement part of it, but you also have to picture the transfiguration, just like I've always told you…"

I trailed off when I realized she wasn't paying attention to me anymore. She had noticed that Sirius had cheated by turning the tea cozy into a miniature baby grand, then engorging it to a proper size.

Sirius grinned when he saw her watching. "If it works, it works."

She turned to me with a mischievous look in her eyes.

"Absolutely not," I told her, squelching the idea immediately, "You are going to learn how to do it properly."

"Oh, but—"

"_No_, Lily."

"Why not?" She pouted. I did my best to hide a smile, but I wanted so badly to kiss that perfectly luscious pout.

"Because you are a brilliant witch, and you're going to learn how to do the spell properly."

McGonagall cleared her throat and we jumped back, not realizing how close we had been leaning in to each other.

"You have yet to make any progress on your tea cozies. I suggest you redirect your attention to them."

"Yes, professor," we mumbled, blushing.

xxxxxxx

"McKinnon and Vance are on patrol today?" James asked Remus.

Remus conjured his schedule and checked it. "Yep."

My eyes were on Sirius, as he was fidgeting slightly. I tried not to laugh. I'm sure I would feel awkward if two ex-boyfriends had a few hours with nothing to really do except strike up a conversation.

But he couldn't keep quiet. "Are you sure it was a good idea to put the two of them on patrol together?"

James and Remus both smirked. Oddly, Peter didn't.

"I'm sure they'll be fine, Padfoot," Remus told him with an amused expression.

"You could borrow my cloak to go watch them, Padfoot," James told him with a grin. "A galleon says they'll end up in a catfight by the end of their patrol."

Sirius glared. "It's not funny, James—"

"Whoa!" Remus cut-in. We all turned to him. "We better get to them. A bunch of our favorite Slytherins is leaving the common room."

"Let's go," James said, summoning his cloak as we all raced out of the Heads' dorm.

xxxxxxx

We found what we expected to find. They were having some sort of meeting in an empty classroom.

They must all be incredibly thick, because none of them thought to put an Imperturbable Charm on the door. I glanced at the map in James's hand, to see who was in there.

Oh, Snape's not there. Well that _would_ explain why none of them thought to make the door imperturbable.

"I don't care what Snape says," Avery was saying, "If you get at the mudblood, you kill her, along with any of the others."

"But—"

"Look, it's simple," Avery said. "The Dark Lord wants all of them because he thinks they're the best in Hogwarts—"

"Exactly!" Nott cut in, "So we'd only be angering him if we killed them, not to mention nearly the lot of them are pure-bloods—"

"You're not _listening_ to me, Nott!" Avery hissed, "He thinks they're the best in Hogwarts, but if we eliminate them, then we're on top. We beat them, and he'll want _us_."

"We'd be better soldiers for him," Muliciber growled in his gruff voice. "We know what we're fighting for."

There was a thwack. It sounded like someone got hit rather hard with a blunt object.

"They know what they're fighting for too, dimwit," Avery snapped at him. Three guesses who just hit whom. "That's what makes them so cunning. But we're Slytherins, they can't beat us at cunning."

"We got one. We got that little runt in the hall…"

"Fat lot of good it did us," Mulciber said bitterly, "He's fine now, isn't he? Up and about with nothing wrong…The new spell of Snape's wasn't as powerful as he said it would be…"

"It took him a week to heal," Avery pointed out. "Snape's spell was powerful, but we didn't know how to use it yet. We just need some practice."

"Who are we gonna practice on?" I heard Goyle say. Dumb arse. "The firs' years?"

"We will not practice on younger students of our own noble house, Goyle. And we will not waste this spell on any of the other students, or Dumbledore might find out."

"Who are we going to practice it on, then?" Nott asked. "We don't corner _them_ enough times to call it practice."

"We'll go into the forest, practice on the animals there."

"That oaf might find us. He's always wandering about the forest."

"Well then, don't let him find you. The forest is our only option."

It sounded like they were about to leave, and I didn't have enough time to Disillusion everyone. I concentrated as hard as I could and cast an illusion instead, making them see nothing but empty hallway.

Sure enough, they clambered out of the classroom and didn't seem to see anyone.

But I didn't factor in the part where no one knew what I did except me. They all thought they were still visible, and Peter was the first one to jump into a fight.

"Sectumsempra!" Peter screamed, pointing his wand at the nearest Slytherin.

He may as well have announced that we were there.

His spell hit his target, but we then had ten Slytherin boys looking frantically around the hall for the source of the spell. To stop the others from calling any more attention to our end of the hall, I decided to cut my losses and shout, "They can't see us, RUN!"

James, taking my word on faith, quietly whispered, "Bublosa," just in the nick of time. Several curses ricocheted of the shield as we all ran around the corner. We didn't stop until we reached the seventh floor. We were almost by the Divination room.

"Don't let the illusion go yet, Lily," Remus said, "Let me make sure they didn't manage to follow…"

He checked the map very closely. "No, it's fine."

I let the illusion go with a sigh of relief. "Let's not do that again," I panted. The running I might have been able to handle, but running _and_ concentrating hard enough on that illusion, not so much. James started rubbing my back to help me breathe and relax.

Sirius was shaking his head, "Where did you come up with that spell, Peter?"

He didn't want to answer, I could tell. Finally, he said, "That's what they used on me…that's what I remembered…"

Emmeline went and hugged him. Thank Merlin she did, because I wanted to but thought it might have been awkward.

"He was bleeding _everywhere_," Sirius said, staring at Peter.

Peter was suddenly defensive. "Yeah, well, so was I, wasn't I? An eye for an eye, isn't it?"

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"No one blames you, Peter," I finally said. I needed to break the oppressive silence. "No one blames you for wanting to get back at them…"

"So are we all in danger?" Marlene asked, "Why didn't anyone tell us?"

"You're not," James assured her, "They don't even know that you are a part of this."

"You, Emmeline, Isabella, and Frank are all safe," Remus assured her. "They never knew that you were with us. And if their confusion was any indication, they couldn't see you tonight, either. They don't know anything about you."

Marlene didn't look convinced.

"Let us be targets," Emmeline said bitterly. "Let them try. They won't ever get us. We know what we're fighting for."

Oh, but that's what bothered me about Avery. He knew what he was fighting for too.

And a motivated Slytherin is a scary Slytherin.

I shook my head. "Still, Emmeline, you'd best stay off their radar."

xxxxxx

"We don't know what happened, Professor Dumbledore," I lied. I hope he doesn't see through me. "We were watching them, like we always do, and then they came out of the classroom and someone fired the curse."

His blue eyes pierced me.

"You maintain that you do not know who cursed Mr. Goyle?"

I nodded.

"Very well, Mr. Potter, you may go."

I got to the door before he spoke again.

"Oh, and Mr. Potter? Be sure and tell Mr. Pettigrew that I am most aggrieved by his…misfortunes."

I nodded, slightly disgusted by the gross understatement, and left. Lily was waiting for me jut outside the door, as she had already taken her turn.

"Ready for dinner?" she asked quietly.

I nodded, taking her hand. "Definitely ready for dinner. I could eat a horse."

All of a sudden she had the oddest look on her face.

"What?" I asked.

"Would that be considered cannibalism? Since you can…well, you know."

"Oh…er…I dunno. _Would_ that be considered cannibalism?"

"I'm not sure. I mean, technically, I don't suppose so."

"Well, either way," I said, eager for an end to this particular conversation, "I don't eat horse, it was just an expression."

"Right," she blushed.

We were at the Gryffindor table, then, and we slipped into seats with the boys. Marlene and Emmeline were whispering together at the Ravenclaw table.

"So you guys kept up the same story?" Sirius checked.

I nodded.

Peter let out a sigh of relief.

"Do you think he realized?" Remus asked.

"I don't know," I told him, "But he told me to let Wormtail know that he was 'most aggrieved by your misfortunes.'"

"He probably knew," Lily said, spooning potatoes onto her plate.

"Yeah, but he figured Peter deserved his revenge," Sirius added.

Peter looked hard at his plate. Finally, he said, "If Dumbledore thinks it's okay, then I suppose it was."

xxxxxxx

Goyle wasn't in the hospital wing as long as Peter was.

That was a shame, but I suppose it was only to be expected.

For one, he was healthier and stronger than Peter, and two, his friends got him to the hospital wing right away.

So, in the end, Goyle was only in the hospital wing for about three days. Four, if you count the extra night that Pomfrey made him stay for observation.

Lily and I had gone, as Heads who needed to understand what happened to a fellow student, to talk to Madam Pomfrey about it. Fortunately none of his little friends were around, but what she told us was a bit disturbing.

She said that the curse was even stronger than the one put on Peter last week.

I love Peter. He's one of my best friends, but how did he manage to curse someone so powerfully? I mean, we all know how curses work. They have to be fueled by hate.

The most any of us manage is righteous indignation or anger because we hold ourselves back. We can't consciously breach the line and actually hurt someone else beyond repair without losing our minds. We can do a few hexes and curses, but none of them would be as powerful as the ones that the Slytherins put on us, simply for the reason that we don't hate so strongly.

But Peter could hate them that powerfully. He could open that bottle of hate and use it when the time was right. I mean, I know he wanted and _deserved_ revenge, but this is still a big deal.

It still makes me uneasy to really _think_ about that fact.

And…if little Peter could do it…I think that means any of us could.

xxxxxx

Lily could tell that I was distracted all evening. She finally gave up trying to get my attention and stormed off to bed in a huff, muttering about how boys were supposed to be the ones with hormones.

I sighed and went up after her. She would be waiting for me, after all, best to get it over with.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked bitterly when I stayed by the door.

"I need to think."

"About what?"

"Everything."

"I'm good at thinking, why don't you come talk to me?" she said, shifting on the bed so that she was facing me fully.

She was opening up, hoping that I would do the same. I sighed. I couldn't walk away now without breaking her heart a little.

I went and sat by her on the bed, starting to play with the edge of the blanket.

"Peter was able to do that, Lily."

She sighed, knowing immediately what I meant. "I know. So?"

"So?" I said, starting to get angry. How could her only answer be _So?_ That's ridiculous! "So any of us could do it! And what does that tell me about Peter? You know how curses work, Lily!"

She looked me level in the eye. "Any of us _could_ do it, James? All of us already did."

I stared at her, gaping like a fish. What was she on about?

She started ticking off on her fingers. "I was absolutely horrid to you for years, there were several curses that I never could have thrown at you without severely hating you. Remus could hurt anyone on the full moon and have no idea. Sirius sent Snape down to meet Remus on a full moon, fully intending for Snape to become a midnight snack. _You_ set Bellatrix Black on fire not four months ago. We all stepped right up to the edge, James. Now Peter had his turn."

I was still gaping. How could she accuse us of something like this? She's making us sound like horrible human beings!

"James? Are you alright?"

"No I'm not bloody alright!" I yelled, jumping off the bed and pacing the room. "What do you mean, 'We all stepped right up to the edge?' Merlin, Lily make us out to be just as bad as they are! They live this way! We just happened to lose it once or twice—"

"Exactly, James!" She had to yell to get my attention because I was wrapped up in my tirade. "We just happened to lose it once or twice! That doesn't make us bad people as long as we try to control ourselves!"

I just stared at her again, not sure if I wanted to fan the flames or fizzle out.

Eventually I settled for fizzling.

"As long as we try to control ourselves," I repeated quietly.

"Yeah," she answered, just as quietly.

"Right."

When I climbed into bed fifteen minutes later, she cuddled up to my side.

But I knew I had ruined her mood. I could tell.

xxxxxxx

I hope you liked it! And once again, I am going to politely ask for reviews. I even wrote a longer chapter this time because you guys were so great last time :)


	34. Quarantine

Hello everyone!

Chapter thirty-four here. So they've found a new project to do in this chapter, and I suppose you'll see how that works for them. Just in forewarning, this story seems to be coming to a close. I'm not sure how many more chapters, but Hogwarts is coming to an end, and I told myself that I would end Unforgettable with Hogwarts. I will be doing a sequel though, for their life after Hogwarts; it will be a continuation of this story, but I wanted to separate it because Unforgettable has gone on for quite a bit when it really should have ended with Lily and James getting together. I plead guilty to extending it simply because I wanted to hear their whole story. But the sequel (I have no creative name ideas other than Unforgettable 2, so I'm open to suggestions) will really just be the continuation of this story with the much needed separation, as this story started so light and is ending on a rather dark note. I feel like it doesn't all go together, you know?

Also, I went back to the chapter where they went home for Christmas, and filled in some of the fluff because the mood struck me on Christmas Day. It's now a one-shot on my profile called _Christmas at the Potters_, so please read it and review!

Thank you so much to all of my reviewers, who made me feel absolutely amazing! Thank you to _xExpectoxPatronumx, lana-bear, MyTinyDancer, SecretlyAGryffindor, teenage-witch94, PottedLilies, UndercoverHufflepuff, XXJAMESLILYXX, MEL-ODiE-MEL-ODRAMATiC, joesbaby14, Yolanda,_ and_ Sarahrules336_. You guys are amazing!

And thank you so much to all of the people who added me to their favorites/alerts lists! I'm at eighty alerts and seventy favorites now, and that's just awesome! I love you all for thinking enough of my story to add it to your lists :D

So, here it is. I hope you enjoy, and please review!

xxxxxxx

"I suppose it's a rather simple choice," James said, looking around at everyone. "Do we think it's worth it to try and stop them from practicing in the Forbidden Forest?"

"No," I answered again, bluntly and firmly.

Remus was already shaking his head at me, just as he had been for the past hour, but it was Alice who answered.

"Lily, we can't just let them get better at this spell. Look what happened to Peter!"

"Yes, I saw what happened to Peter, thanks Alice. That's why this is a bad idea. First off, if we go head them off at the forest we give them more chances to use the spell on us. Second, if they can't practice there, where are they going to practice? They're getting desperate to get at us, you know they are—"

"Then maybe we should leave them to go to the forest," Emmeline added, "But let Dumbledore know about it? Maybe he could do something…"

"Like what?" I asked, trying to think of anything he could do. It's not like he can take away their magic, although I've read that you can bind magic sometimes.

Sirius voiced my thoughts. "You can bind someone's magic, if you really want to. It's a difficult process though."

"And if it works," James added, "they'd only be bound in a particular place. If Dumbledore bound them in the forest, then they'd just go somewhere else to practice."

"And that's exactly what we don't want," I reminded them all.

"Still," Alice said, "Emme is right. Let's go to Dumbledore. We never know what he might be able to do if we don't ask."

xxxxxx

Dumbledore looked at James and me from behind his desk, his fingertips together and his posture in an altogether pensive position. We waited for him to speak.

"It would seem," he finally said, "That we need to be more cautious with this particular group of students than I originally thought."

_Really_? I _never_ would have guessed.

He continued, "The idea of binding their magic is an intriguing one. I must say, I believe you've stumbled upon the solution."

"But, professor," James said, confused, "if we bind their magic in the forest, we haven't really accomplished anything."

"Ah," Dumbledore said, raising a hand as he prepared for the revelation, "But this is true, with your idea of binding their magic, James. However there is another way. It is possible to bind not the magic, but a particular spell. If they truly intend to practice this curse in the Forbidden Forest, I can bind the spell there."

"But that's still the same problem, professor," I said, even more confused than James. "If they can't do the spell in the forest—"

"Ah! But Lily, they _can_ do the spell in the forest!" Dumbledore said, "In fact, we _want_ them to do the spell in the forest. Binding spells is an altogether different matter than binding magic. You cannot take away a person's magic because it is a part of them. You can forbid them from using it in different ways, none of which are truly lasting or all-encompassing. But you _can_ take away their ability to perform a certain spell because that is merely the application of their magic, not the presence of it."

I felt like we were in lessons, and Dumbledore was trying to teach a particularly difficult concept.

"So, what you're saying is that you can bind a spell so that they can only perform it in the Forbidden Forest?" James asked, still as confused as I was.

Dumbledore smiled. "Precisely."

I spent a moment trying to understand the idea and the difference. It all seemed the same to me.

"It is easier said than done, I'm afraid," Dumbledore said, though without an excessive air of worry. His tone was a bit more challenging than anything, and I couldn't help but feel as though I was in a classroom again.

Funny how they take the best teacher in the school and make him headmaster, where he is of little practical use to most of the students. Although I suppose the headmaster is responsible for safety and well-being of the students and the school.

I tuned back into him, as he was giving instructions.

"We will need to force them to do the spell in the Forbidden Forest," Dumbledore was saying as James hung on to his every word. "And we will also require a piece of the person that we hope to bind, I imagine hairs would be the easiest to retrieve."

"Professor," I asked, a sudden thought occurring to me. "Why doesn't anyone do this to Voldemort? Bind his spells in different places?"

Once again I felt like I was in a classroom because of the way he looked at me. "Well, Lily, why would you imagine that such a feat would be immensely difficult, if not altogether impossible?"

I thought about it for a moment.

"Because he does his curses all over Britain," James asked, "and it would be more like binding his magic altogether, which can't be done…" He trailed off when he found himself more confused than before.

"Because he knows how to protect himself from it," I finally said, looking up and seeing the approval in Dumbledore's eyes. "There must be ways to protect yourself from it, right?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Indeed, Lily. Well done."

"So how do we know the Slytherins won't have protected themselves?" James asked.

"They are more interested in presenting an offense rather than a defense. Their focus is on curses, not defensive spells."

"But Voldemort knows defensive spells," I argued.

"He does. The very least that can be said of Voldemort, is that he is a brilliant tactician. He understands the use of defensive spells, even if he prefers to use offensive."

xxxxxxx

I was still thinking about that as James and I made our way down to the Great Hall for dinner. But it was a particularly sunny day at Hogwarts, and it was starting to get warmer outside, so James insisted on taking a walk on the grounds after we ate.

I went with him, knowing that we would be alright as long as we stayed together, and the sunny weather had put me in the mood for a nice stroll on the grounds. There were a few other students milling about anyway, enjoying the weather.

We walked in sweet silence, hand in hand. I looked up at him and saw his blissful smile. I couldn't help but smile back. Merlin I want to snog him right now.

I led him over to a tree that hung over the lake and pushed him down into the cool grass. I settled into his lap and stared into his eyes for a moment.

"I love you," he whispered, raising a hand to my hair.

I didn't bother answering.

He knew the answer anyway.

I just took his beautiful face in both my hands and kissed him, sweet and slow. He responded enthusiastically, to say the least. But he broke away, after a moment, and I was about to protest when his lips found their way to my neck…and just the spot that…

"James," I breathed.

He mumbled a response against my skin. That was okay, as I really didn't want him to stop just to use silly things like words. His method was more than effective.

"James, don't stop," I murmured, fighting to keep myself from going limp in his arms. He was just such an amazingly good snog that I could never keep my head.

Or maybe it was just the fact that he could make me warm just with the slightest touch and dizzy with his crooked smile.

He rolled me gently into the soft grass without breaking our kiss, and I sighed as I relaxed and just wrapped my arms around his shoulders, letting him kiss whatever skin he managed to reach. Somehow, and I have no idea how, my hand was under his shirt, stroking the hot skin of his chest, tracing his muscles.

But then he pulled away again.

"Lily," he murmured against my ear. His warm breath sent shivers through me.

I opened my eyes unwillingly.

"Lily, I need to hear you say it," he said softly, staring into my eyes with a note of pleading.

"Say what?" I asked, beginning to frown. I was happy. Why wasn't he?

"What are you thinking?" he asked, the same note in his voice.

"About you." Was I supposed to be thinking about someone other than the boy I was snogging?

"What are you thinking about me?" he asked, as though trying to lead me somewhere.

"That I want to snog you some more?" I asked, confused. His eyes boring into mine weren't really helping me concentrate much either.

He sighed sadly and brushed his lips across mine for a moment, then asked, "Don't you love me?"

I pushed him away for a second. "You know I do."

"Then why don't you ever say it?"

"I say it all the time—"

He was shaking his head even as I spoke. "I live to hear you say it, Lily, trust me. You don't say it all the time. You rarely ever do."

"I thought you knew. I mean, of course I love you, James, it's obvious isn't it? Do you think I let just anyone snog me all day long or in the middle of a crowd?" I asked, gesturing to the people still wandering the grounds.

He sighed again, looking away.

No. He's not allowed to look away right now.

I pulled his face back to me, and looked hard into his eyes. "I love you James Potter. And I promise I will tell you more often, okay?"

"Okay," he mumbled softly, rolling onto his back. He didn't pull me with him.

But I followed anyway and cuddled into his side, trying to act like nothing was wrong. After a moment he gave in and wrapped his arms around me.

We laid like that for a while, quietly, until I came up with a question for him. One that I thought should reassure him about my feelings for him.

"Hey, James?"

"Yeah?"

"Where do you think we'll be in ten years?" I asked softly, "Do you think we'll have kids?"

He was quiet for a moment. "Does that imply that we'll be _together_, having kids?"

I smiled into him. "Yes, love." I looked up to see a small smile on his face.

"Well, as long as we're together, I imagine we'll be in heaven."

I smiled up at him and raised myself to kiss his cheek. His smile got a little bigger and his voice a little louder.

"With a few kids…and all the little girls will look exactly like you…fiery red hair and big green eyes and that amazing porcelain skin…" he started stroking my cheek absent-mindedly.

I cuddled in closer to him. "Yeah?" I asked, thinking that he was being incredibly sweet.

"And we'll have to name one of them Annabelle." He stopped and looked down at me, "I've always loved that name, Annabelle. It was my great-great grandmother's name, I saw it once when we went to the cemetery on Easter."

"When did you stop going to the cemetery on Easter?" I asked, thinking it was safe now to start stroking his jaw without him withdrawing from me.

I was right, thank Merlin.

"When Mum started hosting the Easter Balls. Dad and I still find time to go, but we didn't this year…" he trailed off, obviously hoping to leave the topic of Mum and Dad unsaid.

I granted his wish. I didn't really feel like talking about it.

"I want to go with you next year," I said, softly running my fingertips along his lips.

"Okay."

We lapsed into silence again, so I decided to fill it.

"Hey James?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

He rolled me back over into the grass and started snogging me again.

xxxxxxx

"Who's going to get who?"

"The whole lot of them are blokes, we can't just walk in on them when they're in the loo."

"That's true, but we could just happen to run into them and pluck a hair or two."

"Just happen to run into them and pluck a hair or two?" Lily asked incredulously, "And what happens when they notice that we've yanked hair off all their heads?"

"Ummm, we say we're sorry that they're having early-patterned male baldness?" Sirius asked, shrugging, "Who cares what happens, they're not going to think anything of it. They only know about Polyjuice Potion needing hairs—"

"Everyone knows that when you want to cast a curse on someone, you need a bit of the person you're casting on, Sirius. They'll know we're up to something if we just run into them one day and yank out their hairs," Remus said, flipping through a book. I managed to read the title, _Pranks and Tricks for the Modern School_.

Very nice.

"Well, we can try sneaking in while they're sleeping, again," Sirius said, scratching his head.

"_Again_?" Frank asked.

The five of us grinned at their bewildered faces.

"Yeah," Sirius said, "remember when they were stuck in the hospital wing for a month?"

"Yeah," Frank said, looking like he was almost afraid for Sirius to continue.

"That was all us, mate," Sirius said, grinning widely.

"Ah."

"How about it, then?" Marlene said, looking around at the group, "We're going to have to sneak in while they're sleeping, and grab a few hairs from each of them. We'll be sure we got everyone that way, too."

"Added bonus," Lily allowed, nodding to Marlene. Sirius grinned that Marlene had agreed with him. We're going to have a little talk, Sirius and I, about how he said Marlene was off-limits. One ex-girlfriend is bad enough for scheduling patrols, we don't need two.

"Should we do another sleeping draft?" Remus asked, snapping his book shut and laying it on the table. "To make sure they stay out of it until we get their hairs and get out?"

"No," Lily said thoughtfully, "But maybe we should do this one healing charm I read about, it was to desensitize a person."

"That way they don't notice us yanking on their hair, good idea Lils," Sirius said, nodding in approval of her plan.

"Well then," Frank said, rubbing his hands together, "Let's get practicing on that charm."

xxxxxxx

"Everyone silenced their footsteps?" I asked before we left the Heads' dorm.

There were murmured 'yes's' around the room.

"Okay," Lily asked, "Who needs help Disillusioning themselves?"

Nearly everyone could do it, but Peter needed a bit of help. His hair was still there, no matter how many times he had practiced the charm.

Lily got him quickly and then said, "Alright, time to go. James, you're in charge of the map, make sure we don't lose anyone. And I think that's it? Ready to go?"

There were murmurs of assent, so I opened the door and watched the map as everyone left the room and started down the corridor.

The walk down to the dungeons was silent, and when we all go there I checked the map again.

"The common room's empty," I whispered, "Sirius?"

"Archemedies," Sirius whispered, from somewhere near the front of the group.

The doors opened with a hiss and we all slipped in to the empty room. "Everyone here?" Lily asked.

Quite loudly, might I add.

"Lily!" I hissed, "Quiet down!"

"Don't worry, James," she said, "I cast a silencing charm."

"Oh."

"Yeah," she continued, and I could hear the smirk in her voice, "So is everyone here?"

"Yes," I told her, checking the map.

"Okay, everyone knows who they're assigned to? There's a few more of them, so James and I will each be taking two people. Make sure and do the charm first, then pluck a few hairs with tweezers, we can't have any of our own fingerprints on them, don't forget," Lily said.

"How many do we need to put in the vial?" came Marlene's voice.

"About three," Lily told her, "Just in case."

"Alright then," I said, "You all know who you need to find. We'll meet back here in ten minutes, tops."

It was impossible to hear footsteps on the stairs because of the silencing charm, but I watched as everyone wandered up the boys staircase together and we all slipped into the two dorms. I found Avery first, and desensitized him before taking my tweezers and vial out.

He didn't even twitch when I plucked, so I quickly dropped the hairs into my vial and stoppered it, then moved on to do the same with Goyle.

I went down and waited in the common room, not wanting to say anything to the others as they continued up in the dorms. I watched as they trickled into the room, one at a time. When the map finally said that everyone was there I cast another Muffliato and spoke.

"Alright, everyone's here. Now, we'll drop everyone off at their dorms before Lily and I go back to the Heads' dorm. That way we can watch on the map, come on…"

I beckoned for them to follow me out the door before I realized that they couldn't see that. So instead I just walked over to the door and opened it, figuring that they could take the hint.

By the time Lily and I got back to our room, it was nearly four in the morning and we decided that we would only be more tired if we slept, since we had to be up again by seven. So instead she made a very strong pot of coffee and we cuddled up together on the couch, listening to sappy love songs on the wireless and swapping childhood stories until morning.

xxxxxxxx

I hope you liked it!

Pretty-Please with whipped cream and cherries on top, review :D

And also, I'm rewriting this for those of you who are like me and don't really read authors' notes in the beginning. I went back and filled-in all the fluff that I skipped over during the Christmas chapter. I was in the mood. So please stop by my profile to read and review _Christmas at the Potters_.


	35. The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Okay, everyone,

This is it. The second to last chapter, chapter thirty-five. This is the last official chapter, the next will be an epilogue of sorts, where I wanted a few fluffy things to happen before the end.

So, as always, a huge thank you goes out to all my reviewers, _harrypotter713, nikijane, Sarahrules336, SecretlyAGryffindor, PottedLilies, UndercoverHufflepuff, EnglishGrlVerity, lana-bear, junebugbug96, XXJAMESLILYXX, missivypotter, and xExpectoxPatronumx_. Thank you all so much!

And a big thank you also goes out to everyone who added my story (or me) to their favorites/alerts lists! I really appreciate it, you guys!

So, without further ado, here it is. The second to last chapter. I hope you enjoy.

xxxxxx

"James," I heard her murmur as she nibbled very gently on my ear. "James, sweetheart, come on, you have to get dressed."

I groaned and opened my eyes a crack.

She smiled. "You dozed off, love. So I made you some more coffee and there's scrambled eggs here, just the way you like them. Just go wash up and get dressed."

"Mmmmm…." I mumbled incoherently, wrapping an arm around her.

She groaned, knowing my ploy. "Alright, James, _fine_."

And then her soft, luscious lips were on mine, and I stopped feigning the sleep and responded. She always knew what I wanted, Lily did. It just proves how much we're meant to be together.

"Are you awake, now?" she asked, pulling away after a moment.

"If I say no, will you give me another kiss?"

"No."

"Alright then," I said brightly, opening my eyes, "I'm awake. Will you kiss me again now?"

She just laughed at me and got up to go to her room. She called over her shoulder, "Eggs are on the counter once you're washed-up."

I stared after her for a moment, until her beautifully round bum was out of view, before dashing up to my room to wash up as quickly as I could and then change into fresh robes. If I'm fast enough about it, there might even be time for a quick snog before class.

By the time I got back down to our kitchenette, my eggs were a bit cold, bit still edible. I scarfed them down and made a bee-line for the couch as I heard Lily coming back down from her room. I tried to look as relaxed and composed as I could.

"Ready for Charms?" she asked with a smile.

I grinned back and beckoned her over to the couch. "I'm ready to charm _you_, if you get that beautiful face over here."

She smiled and sauntered over, dropping her knapsack to the floor and straddling me. "You're going to charm me, huh?" she asked in a low, sexy voice. She started running her fingers through my hair and my eyes closed in response.

Damn it! I was supposed to be making her all weak-kneed, instead, look at me!

"Yes," I breathed, "The Potter Charm, you know…completely irresistible…"

"Mmmm," she giggled against my ear, starting to scratch my scalp lightly. I couldn't even think anymore, while she was doing that…

She planted a soft kiss on my lips, the kind that's almost cruel because it leaves you begging for more.

"Lily," I whispered, tightening my hold on her.

Her lips were at my ear again. "And that, James," she whispered, sending shivers of desire through me, "is the Evans Charm." Then a second later she had slipped from my arms and I was a bit disgruntled to be sitting alone. She picked up her knapsack and called over her shoulder, "Quite effective, don't you agree?"

I laughed at myself as I hurried to scoop up my own knapsack and rush out the door with her. "Lily, my love, I was under the Evans Charm long before you even knew how to use it properly."

xxxxxxx

We walked into Charms together, holding hands, and I slipped into a seat next to Alice. James sat next to Peter, right behind us, and I heard him say very quietly, "Full moon tonight. Remus isn't going to be able to come with us."

Alice and I turned in interest as we heard Peter's gasp. I caught the slight widening of his eyes in worry. "Does Dumbledore know?"

"I'm sure he does," Remus said, joining in from the row behind them. He'd been looking bad for the past few days, but today, he had large purplish bags under his eyes. They were even more exaggerated because of how pale his skin had become overnight.

"Well, either way," Sirius said, glancing over at the Ravenclaws who took charms with us, "Isabella seemed a little too interested in how bad you look today, Moony."

Remus chuckled a bit, adding a little color to his cheeks for a moment. "I'm not sure where I should be insulted, Padfoot. The fact that you said I look horrible or the fact that you don't think my girlfriend should care about it."

"Aw, Moony, you know I didn't mean it like that. In fact," Sirius said, looking over to the Ravenclaws again and raising his voice, "Hey! Izzy! Could you come over here and give Moony a kiss? I'm sure it will make him feel better."

Remus blushed, because right at that moment Flitwick walked into the room.

"Maybe after class, Black," Isabella called back, giggling a bit at Sirius's antics. This only made Remus flush a darker red, adding much needed color to his face.

"Well done, Padfoot," James said with a grin as he clapped Remus on the shoulder. "Moony is looking better already."

I couldn't help but smile at their grins as I turned back to the front of the class where Professor Flitwick was beginning the lesson. Somewhere along the way this year, watching the boys laugh together became a sure-fire way to make _me_ laugh, and Alice too, actually. Their good mood was just infectious.

We laughed our way through the double-period, giggling as we made our little hamsters play 'super-leap-frog,' as James had called it. The game was that the hamsters had to be charmed to jump over each other at increasing heights and distances, with markers in each direction to count exactly how far each hamster had flown. The person who managed to get their hamster to do the best jump won a galleon from everyone.

Flitwick actually liked this set-up so much that he made everyone else set up the same game and awarded twenty points to Gryffindor. So that's ten points each for James and Sirius, who took credit for setting up the game and failed to mention the gambling involved. Alice, Remus, and I had to laugh at that, but thankfully Flitwick thought it was because we were having so much fun.

And I was having fun. Especially when I won five galleons for a hamster jump that was five feet high and eight feet long. Flitwick gave me another ten points for Gryffindor because of it.

And when he had his back turned to watch another group play, Isabella came over and gave Remus that quick kiss Sirius had suggested. He certainly looked like he felt better after that, I have to admit.

All in all, class was so much fun that I forgot to feel a sense of foreboding when Flitwick asked us to stay after class. I forgot what we still had to do to make Hogwarts a safe place again.

But he quickly reminded us.

Not with harsh words or a hard dose of reality. Simply with a note to go see Dumbledore at the end of the day.

That note weighed on my mind for the rest of the day, and I kept thinking back to the tiny vials in our dorm. They were lined up and labeled neatly, alphabetically organized and color-coded by year.

Those were the vials that I would have to get before going up to his office that evening.

xxxxxx

"Ah, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans. Glad to see that you got my note," Dumbledore said, only the slightest of twinkles in his eyes. "Please, have a seat."

We both immediately sat in the cushy armchairs that we had grown quite accustomed to. I wonder if any of the other Head boys and girls have spent as much time in the Headmaster's office as we have.

"I have called you here today, in order to ask for a report on your progress with securing the hairs of the students that need to be…quarantined."

A year ago I would have sniggered at the term he used, but now I couldn't help but agree with him. They really did need to be quarantined.

"Well, Headmaster," Lily was telling him as she pulled out a case full of vials from her knapsack, "we have managed to acquire hairs from each of the Slytherin students that we know have been fighting against us for the past year. Here they are, Professor."

She placed the case on Dumbledore's desk for him to check them, and as he did the oddest expression crossed his face. It was really pretty funny, actually.

"Miss Evans?" He asked, not looking away from the vials as he picked them up to inspect them, "Are these, color-coded?"

Lily blushed. I told her she was going overboard.

"Yes, sir," she said sheepishly, "They are."

Dumbledore continued to peer at the vials. "And alphabetized?"

Lily blushed deeper red. "Yes, sir."

Dumbledore finally looked up. "Well isn't that intriguing. I've learned, of course, that this is a muggle way of organizing paperwork, yes?" When Lily nodded he continued, "Of course, of course, when one does not have the luxury of charms to simply call the file they need, one would need a structured system for finding things. Although, I must admit, I have never seen any such examples which are so well organized as yours, Miss Evans, quite extraordinary."

"Thank you, sir," Lily said, but I could tell she wasn't sure if she was really being complimented. I don't know how many times I have to tell her that she shouldn't be embarrassed, but she always gets nervous when she shows that she spent the first half of her life as a muggle.

And I probably wasn't very supportive earlier when I told her not to do it. Oh well, I'll make it up to her somehow.

"Well then," Dumbledore said, clapping his hands and getting back to business, "I suppose we shall start with the potion—"

There was a knock at the door and McGonagall peeked around the corner. "Excuse me for interrupting, headmaster," she said, inclining her head slightly in respect, "But I came to inform you that Professor Slughorn has the dungeons ready for you."

"Thank you, Minerva," Dumbledore said, nodding warmly in her direction before looking back at us. "Off we go then, let us begin."

When we got down to the potions classroom, all the ingredients were laid out for us but Slughorn was nowhere to be seen.

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said, noticing me looking around the room and guessing what I was thinking. "Professor Slughorn has opted not to brew the potion himself, although he did make a special trip to the Hogsmeade apothecary in order to have all the ingredients prepared for us. He seemed to think that your excellence in the subject would be sufficient, Miss Evans."

"Well, I, I'll do my best, sir," Lily stuttered.

I squeezed her hand discreetly.

"Now, now, no need to doubt yourself. He left us the instructions, and I'm sure you'll do very well. So, let us set to work!"

I read over her shoulder as she looked over the list of instructions, concentrating solely on the first step.

Crush the wormwood bark and bezoar together in a gold mortar and pestule so that their powdered essences intertwine but do not mix completely.

What the hell?

But Lily was already setting to work, pulling the gold mortar and pestule toward her and practicing the idea of grinding them together on a wooden cutting board. I mean, really, how are you supposed to mix them without mixing them?

I decided to voice my question, but I only got a very snappy answer.

"Oh, honestly, James. You crush them together so that some of it mixes, but not all of it. The rest of the wormwood needs to be available to react with the liquid beetle essence and the rest of the bezoar needs to float free through the potion so that they can't reverse the effects simply by taking another bezoar."

I started to ask another question, completely confused as I was. "You could reverse the effects by taking a bezoar—"

"No, you can't. That's the point. Now stop distracting me so that I can actually get this done."

She worked over the cauldron for an hour and a half while Dumbledore and I watched. I had the feeling he was checking her work as she went along, so that she didn't botch the job. But she was concentrating too much to even notice.

"Okay," she finally announced to the empty classroom, "I'm done. It will need to be stirred one and a quarter counter-clockwise turns every two hours for the next day."

She looked up expectantly at us as she wiped the sweat from her brow. I just sat there, watching the steam rise from the cauldron. It was an absolutely disgustingly thick liquid, almost muddy actually. It was so thick that the bubbles weren't so much popping as gurgling and sliding back underneath the surface. Add to that the dark, almost blackish-green color, and the very sight of the potion almost made me lose my dinner.

Dumbledore walked over to inspect this disgustingly putrid final product.

"Well done, Miss Evans," he said, glancing quickly into the cauldron and then pulling his face away from the fumes. "I do believe we're done tonight. I shall continue to stir, and tomorrow evening at this time, we shall meet here again to discuss the rest of the process. Off to bed now, pip pip!"

We wished him goodnight and scampered out of the room, hoping he wouldn't call us back for anything else. It was bad enough to be in there for double potions with the Slytherins before dinner, but now, to have to stay for another two hours when I had no idea what was going on? That was almost torture!

xxxxxxx

"So are we all invited today?" Sirius asked, putting his feet up on the table.

"Yes," Lily said, flicking her wand so that his feet fell off the table.

"Hey! You could have just asked!" He complained indignantly.

"Oh, but Sirius," she started sweetly, "I've asked you at least ten times _today_. I'm a woman of action, after all, I had to take things into my own hands."

Sirius gave her a growl worthy of Padfoot, but settled back into the couch with his feet firmly on the ground.

"I don't think you guys should come," Alice said, turning to look at Frank, Emmeline, and Marlene.

"What?"

"Of course we are!"

"You can't honestly expect—"

She held up her and hand and yelled over them, "I meant it, you guys shouldn't come. They don't know about you, and I'd like to keep it that way."

I nodded, "She's right, guys. We appreciate all the help you've given us, but you aren't in as much danger as we are, and I'd like to keep you out of it for as long as we can."

There was complete silence. Finally Marlene spoke, "I guess that makes sense. If you don't need me, I suppose I won't come."

"Lene," Sirius said, "You know what he means. You've been so much help, all of you have. Trying to keep you a bit safer is our way of saying thanks, you know?"

"Yeah," she said softly, "I know."

She was giving him the look.

I know that look. I've seen it enough times over the years, after all.

That look is dangerous.

It's the I'm-falling-for-you look.

It means trouble.

I glanced over at Emmeline, wondering how she might react. She was studiously ignoring the moment that passed between her housemate and her ex-boyfriend. Well, I suppose that's what she wanted, isn't it? I mean, Sirius still won't tell me the details, but she's the one who binned him, after all.

"So," Lily said, "only a couple of us really need to go, anyway, James and I were more than enough last night. But if you guys want to come, you can, I'm sure Dumbledore will teach everyone the spell."

"Yeah," I said in support.

Wow, that was pretty wimpy support.

I'm just a little distracted though, by the fact that Remus is going to have to go out alone again tonight. Last night was bad enough, with only Sirius there, but tonight, he's going to have to stay in the shrieking shack, all alone.

He's in the hospital wing right now, probably still sleeping. He always sleeps through the whole day when the week starts, and the first few days of the cycle are always the worst.

I leaned back against the couch, tuning out and waiting for everyone to go back to their common rooms so that I might be able to take a short nap. If I sleep now, I might be able to go join Remus after we cast the spell tonight.

xxxxxxx

We walked together in a group down to the potions classroom without any fear of being ambushed. I checked the map before we left and our favorite group of Slytherins was already down in the Forbidden Forest, presumably doing dark and dangerous things. Honestly, it's probably a good thing that we aren't all running around the forest with Remus tonight.

Dumbledore was waiting for us.

"Ah, you've arrived," he said, waving to the chairs surrounding the cauldron. "You'll be pleased to know, Miss Evans, that I have stirred the potion one and a quarter turns every two hours, just as you instructed. Professor Slughorn has called it absolutely perfect."

Lily blushed. "Thank you."

"Not at all, credit where credit is due. Now, I have your assurances that these students are in the Forbidden Forest as we speak, practicing this curse?"

"Yes, sir. I watched them go down myself." It wasn't a lie. I did watch them go down there, just not in person. The map has become quite handy during the past few months.

"Very good. If you will all turn to the cauldron, then," he said, indicating the large, simmering pot, "We can begin on the spell. Each person will need to be done individually, so everyone take a flask and fill it with potion."

We all did as we were told. Dumbledore filled the remaining flasks himself, as the Slytherins outnumbered us by quite a few.

After all the flasks were filled, he spoke again.

"Now, this spell is not one that can merely be spoken. The incantation alone is not enough to accomplish the task. It must be fueled by either righteous anger or hatred, the choice is yours. But there will be no effect if you do not release your passions and pour them into the spell."

I thought that over for a moment. Release your anger, or your hatred, and pour it into the spell. That's going to be a lot more difficult than it sounds, and as I looked around at all my friends' faces, I knew they felt the same.

First off we had to understand and put a definitive name on something we had been dancing around all year. Do we truly hate them?

I know I would like to think that I don't, but I don't really know if that's the truth. I think I do hate them, really. And just a few short months ago I wouldn't have had a problem saying that. But…the problem was that Lily, Lily said to me that we couldn't hate them…she said that would make us like them.

And I know that I don't want to be like them.

So hate is out, then. But do I feel righteous anger? Anger, certainly, but that goes along with hate. So if they're intertwined, how do I keep myself from becoming like them? If I have to release that emotion to be able to bind their curse in the forest, how do I keep my own head?

I looked around the room, trying to see if someone had come to the conclusion. But that was what made me realize. I looked around at all my friends faces, and I saw _why_ I hated the Slytherins.

I hated them because they were wrong.

I hated them because they were dangerous.

I hated them because they were threatening people in this school for a worthless reason.

I hated them because they were threatening my friends.

And that, I think, constitutes righteous anger, doesn't it? A driving need to protect? Wanting to right social injustices?

Yes, it does.

I breathed a sigh of relief that I had found a way to hate them without really turning into them. And then I realized that I needed to concentrate on that anger again, really feel the full breadth and depth of it if I was going to be able to perform the spell.

I breathed and concentrated, looking around the room at all my friends, concentrating on wanting to protect them from anyone who would do them harm.

A few minutes later Dumbledore spoke again. "Alright, are you all ready? Do you feel the emotion?"

I nodded, my jaw set.

Dumbledore's gaze roved over all of us before he said, "Now add the hairs, and say the incantation. Concentrate on all the emotion you feel."

"_Incarcerous mage prokleti_."

All around the table I saw flasks bubbling and hissing, trying to spit their contents out onto us all. They couldn't though, the liquid was quickly boiling down to a pale, shimmering pearlescent powder. Within seconds, the potion was gone.

I looked around the room and noticed that Peter's and Sirius's powders were red, not pearly white. I looked back up at Dumbledore, hoping for confirmation that everything had gone as planned.

I noticed that all of Dumbledore's powders were as white as mine.

I watched as he looked at all of our flasks, nodding slowly.

"It seems," he said after several minutes, "That we have succeeded. Well done."

No one moved.

After a few more moments, he vanished all the remaining potion in the cauldron, collected our powders and said, "I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower. Unless, of course, you wish to go back to the Head Dorms instead?"

We all nodded at that suggestion.

"Very well, then. Come along."

xxxxxxx

So there it was. One more chapter to go. Like I said earlier, this is the last real chapter, the next is more of an epilogue. I hope you liked it, and if you do, please review! And if you don't, review anyway! Pretty please?

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	36. The Cats and Dogs of Hogwarts

Hello everyone!

Alright, chapter thirty-six here. I won't bore you with author's notes. I will just say that this is the final chapter of this story.

A _**HUGE**_ thank you goes out to all my reviewers, who make me feel absolutely wonderful when they review. If you write, you know what a thrill it is to get reviews. So, big thank you to PottedLilies, SecretlyAGryffindor, xExpectoxPatronumx, ane27, purple, Sarahrules336, Lilla Black, harrypotter713, missivypotter, LeonObrenov, MyTinyDancer, and EnglishGrlVerity. Thank you so much for your reviews!

And thank you to everyone who added this story to their favorites/alerts lists. I sort of feel like it is my duty to let you all know that, as of chapter 35, this story has reached 77fav's and 89 alerts. That is absolutely wonderful because I've never written a fanfiction before, and that's some of the best encouragement and compliments ever :D

And, I've never done chapter dedications before, and I probably won't do any again, so this is a special honor. I would like to dedicate this last chapter to PottedLilies, who is absolutely wonderful. She was my very first reviewer, and she has given me very intensive reviews for every chapter. Thank you so much for all the encouragement, Kayla!

So, here it is, the last chapter of _Unforgettable_.

I hope you enjoy.

xxxxxxx

"Is it really over?" Alice whispered, breaking the silence.

We all shuffled our feet, looking at the ground and refusing to break from the tiny circle we were standing in. Lily still had a vice-grip on my hand.

"He said it was, didn't he?" Peter asked, somehow unsure if he had heard right. I could understand where he was coming from. I mean, we've been doing this for so long that it's hard to believe.

"I think it really is over," I told them. After a moment it occurred to me to add, "I'll transfigure the couches, everyone should sleep here tonight."

Lily nodded, "And then we can all go visit Remus tomorrow and tell him what happened."

Sirius looked around at us all, then his face split into a grin. "Well, since you two have this all figured out, I guess the only thing left for me to worry about is NEWTS."

Lily let out a tentative giggle at his attempt to lighten the mood, and I started transfiguring beds. We were all asleep by midnight, hoping to make up for the night before.

xxxxxxx

NEWTS were almost too easy. I sat there for a week straight with exam papers on my desk and practicals to attend, but none of it was difficult enough to even hold my attention. I was finished with every exam nearly two hours early, as were all the others. I suppose those practice sessions that Dumbledore put the nine of us through really paid off in the end.

So anyways, we ended up bewitching the spare bits of parchment and passing notes. I spent most of the time drawing pictures of tiny golden snitches, but every so often I would join in on the note passing.

Of course, every so often Sirius would refuse to let me doodle and opt for dragging me into the conversation.

_Hey, Prongs – SB_

_ Hey Padfoot – JP_

_So I was thinking, we're not gonna need the Marauders' Map anymore – SB_

_ That's true. Why, what are you thinking? – JP_

I looked over to his desk to see him grinning down at his parchment.

_I'm thinking we shouldn't be so selfish as to take it with us – SB_

What? We worked hard on this map!

_What about our kids, Padfoot? Second generation Marauders should have the benefit of the map too – JP _

_ Well it's not like I'm planning on burning it, Prongs. But I was thinking we should put it somewhere for them to find – SB_

_ How so? – JP_

_ Well, if they're true Marauders, they should be able to find it, right? – SB_

_ Well, I dunno. It would depend on where you put it. Hogwarts is a big place, you know – JP_

_ Oh, I know._ I didn't have to look up to know he was grinning madly. _But there's one place that only a true Marauder would frequent enough times to find it – SB_

I grinned.

_You're right – JP_

xxxxxxx

Sirius was waiting for me as everyone started filing out of the exam room for the day. I refused to call it the Great Hall because I wasn't usually that bored in the Great Hall. Food generally provides some distraction, you know.

But anyways, he was waiting for me, and when Remus and Peter caught up to us we filled them in.

Remus had grinned. "Excellent! When do we do it?"

"The very last night, I think. The night before we board the train back. I want to say my goodbyes to it."

Sirius laughed at me. "Getting a little sentimental, Prongs?"

"Well he probably wants to watch Lily's dot one more time," Peter piped up. "That used to be as close as he could get to her, most days."

I could feel my face getting redder at that, and it didn't help that Lily and Alice were waving in our direction and trying to catch up with us.

"Well," I said, trying to save face, "This is probably the best thing I've ever managed to create at Hogwarts. I want to give it a proper goodbye."

"You'll be sleeping with it tonight, then?" Sirius asked, barking out a laugh, "How's Lily going to take it when you kick her out of bed in favor of a piece of _parchment_?"

Just then, the girls reached us and Lily smacked Sirius upside the head. He yelped in surprise and turned to see her standing behind him. "Keep your voice down," she scolded, "People will think we're shagging when you put it like that. And what's this about sleeping with a piece of parchment?"

Sirius muttered something about how the two of us _should_ be shagging and how he would have exploded if some girl tried to make him wait that long.

Remus managed not to laugh, but he couldn't keep the smirk off his face. "James is having a little trouble letting the map go."

"Ah," she said, turning to me. "Well, James, it won't be of any use to you anymore. And it's such a wonderful piece of magic that it would be a shame to take it with you."

"That's exactly what I said!" Sirius said, happy to have her on his side. "Taking it with would just be selfish. It belongs here, where future mischief-makers would be able to make good use of it!"

"Really, James," Lily said as we finally managed to make it out to the grounds, "the map isn't going to be the best thing you ever accomplish. You can leave it here."

I pouted. "I know it's not the best thing I'm ever going to accomplish," I whined loudly, "but it's _cool_!"

She just laughed and wrapped an arm around my waist. "Whatever you want to do, sweetheart."

"Well you better decide quickly, James," Alice pointed out. "We only have two weeks left, and then the graduation ceremony."

"Two weeks that should be filled with Hogsmeade visits, I think," Remus said, smiling across the grounds and waving to Isabella. "And the map will come in handy for sneaking off, so you have some more time, Prongs." Remus started snickering, "You know, to say your goodbyes."

I gave him a glare but deep down I knew I was being ridiculous. It was only a piece of parchment, after all.

And Remus was right, we would still need it for sneaking off to Hogsmeade. We definitely deserve a few butterbeers—and any firewhiskey that we can slip past Lily—after this past year. I'd be lying if I said it hadn't exhausted me.

We all settled down against a tree and I laid back against it, pulling Lily with me. I breathed in her lovely scent and felt all my muscles relax. Looking around at all their smiling faces, I knew that these last two weeks would be the best of our time at Hogwarts. It was time for some fun.

xxxxxxxx

"Shh, Lily, stop giggling," James whispered into my ear, "Filch is only two halls away."

"Well then stop tickling me," I giggled back, trying to inch away from him under the cloak. He wasn't having that. He pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around me again.

"Hush," he murmured, "We'll get through the passage and then we won't have to worry about him anymore."

He dragged me along to a statue of a one-eyed witch, and then he tapped her hump, muttering something under his breath. To my surprise, the hump started to open, and soon it was wide enough for us to step through.

James checked the map again, then pulled the cloak off and stepped into the opening, pulling me quickly behind him.

xxxxxxxx

"Honeydukes?" She whispered next to me.

"Yep," I answered, stowing the map into my pocket and throwing the cloak back over us. "Now, be perfectly quiet until we leave the shop. If you want chocolate, we can come back in and get it, alright?"

She nodded, so I led her up the stairs. We slipped out of the shop and around the corner fairly quickly. When we came back out onto the street, fully visible, we bumped into two people that I wasn't expecting to see.

"Oh, erm, hello, Sirius, Marlene," Lily said awkwardly. I think she probably felt a bit embarrassed by Sirius's evil grin.

"What's this, Lene?" Sirius said, not taking his eyes off of Lily's reddening face, "Are the Head Boy and Girl sneaking out to Hogsmeade? Tut tut, they could have your badges for this, you know."

"Oh, giver her a break, Sirius," I teased him, "We could easily say that we saw you sneaking off and we wanted to see what you were up to."

He composed his face in a mask of mock betrayal. "Prongs! You wouldn't!"

"No," I said, watching Lily and Marlene walk off. Apparently Sirius hadn't noticed yet. "But our girls would."

He whipped around, and saw them heading away. "Oi!" He called, "Where're you two going?"

"_We're_ getting butterbeers," Marlene called back, not bothering to stop walking, "You two can join us if you like."

By the time we caught up with the two of them, they were already asking Rosmerta for a table.

"Make that a table for three, Rosmerta, dear," Sirius said, leaning over the bar and giving her a smile.

"_Three_, Padfoot?" I asked, "I was hoping for a seat too, you know."

"Oh, you'll get one. Lene's going to be sitting in my lap."

Wow, not even the slightest bit of embarrassment from him. Marlene was a different story. She blushed red right to the roots of her black hair and stammered to the barmaid, "A table for _four_, please, Rosmerta."

Sirius smirked at that and slipped an arm around her waist. She blushed even deeper red, but she didn't push him away.

Lily rolled her eyes at that, but took my hand and followed Rosmerta to the booth she led us to.

I love Rosmerta right now. Booths are perfect for cozying up to your girlfriend.

I made a show of bowing Lily into the booth, but when I slipped in behind her with a smirk on my face, I'm sure she knew I cornered her. She blushed immediately.

Sirius and I grinned at each other. We've never double-dated before, and admittedly we didn't do it on purpose this time either, but I'm pretty sure this is going to turn into a competition.

Actually, I'm absolutely sure that we're going to have a competition. And the competition is going to be who can get their girl to blush the most.

Sirius made his move, gazing at Marlene and sweeping her hair behind her ear. She blushed lightly and gave him a smile.

Oh, is that how it's going to be?

I scooted a bit closer to Lily, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her cheek softly, letting my lips linger on her skin for a moment. She blushed. I knew she would. Ordinarily, something like that wouldn't faze her, but in a crowded bar…

We kept at it for a good twenty minutes at least, until Marlene looked as though she had put on too much blush and Lily looked like she had sunburn from her cheeks to the roots of her flaming red hair. She had turned that color and stayed that way when I took care of a spot of whipped cream that had gotten on the corner of her mouth.

I had taken care of it by kissing it off.

Needless to say, I was winning. Sirius might know how to make any girl blush, but I know how to make _Lily_ blush.

"James," she finally begged in a low undertone, hiding behind her butterbeer, "Please stop."

I groaned internally. Of course she would ask me to stop when I was winning.

"Alright," I said softly, squeezing her hand under the table. "I'm stopping now."

"Thank you," she sighed, burying her face into my sleeve and sighing in relief.

Wow, I didn't think it would bother her that much. I mean, she usually likes it when I make her blush.

When we all decided to leave the tavern, I called for Rosmerta to add the bill to my tab and then led Lily out onto the main street.

"We'll see you two back at Hogwarts, yeah?" I said to Sirius and Marlene, who promptly waved goodbye and walked off. I took Lily's hand. "Come on, I know you want to go to the stationary shop, love."

As we walked in that direction, she asked the question that I was hoping she wouldn't.

"Hey James? What were you and Sirius doing in the Three Broomsticks?"

"Erm…drinking butterbeer?"

"James," she said, her tone telling me that she wasn't having it.

I sighed. How am I gonna spin this now?

"Well, I was trying to prove a point." Yeah, this could work if I do it right.

"A point?" she asked, taking the bait.

"Yeah. Well, you know, Sirius prides himself on being able to make any girl blush…"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, I was just proving that I don't need to know one hundred and one failsafe ways to make any girl blush. I know how to make _you_ blush."

Her cheeks tinted a little again. I knew they would. And when she looked up into my eyes I knew I was forgiven, too.

She reached up and gave me a soft kiss.

"Come on, love," I told her, "Off to Inkwells and Wordspells."

She smiled. "Alright. And then we can go to Zonko's, if you like."

I grinned. "I love you, Lily Evans."

"I love _you_, James Potter."

xxxxxxx

I sat on the couch in the Head's dorm, looking wistfully at the map. I had it open, watching the dots move around on it one last time. My eyes found Lily's dot, as they were so accustomed to doing, and I watched it as it sat in the Gryffindor common room with Alice and Frank.

I sighed to myself.

I really was being ridiculous.

I mean, I used to watch her dot because that was all I could do with her. And now I have the _real_ Lily Evans. I shouldn't be stalking her dot.

But, if I was being completely honest, that wasn't the only reason I was going to miss this map. We did this together. It was one of our best accomplishments. I mean, we've done a couple of things to top it, like becoming animagi and dealing with those git Slytherins, but really this was quite a feat. And this map helped us with accomplishing both those other things, might I add.

There are more memories on this parchment than in the rest of the England for me. Every late night kitchen run, or Hogsmeade visit, or run around the Forbidden Forest with Remus…they're all here, on this ratty old piece of parchment.

I mended the edges of the paper lazily, like I had done a million times already. After all, it was getting a bit ragged, and if it was going to last for another fifteen years then it should be mended right now.

I stopped, looking down at the parchment again.

Just because I want to leave a map behind doesn't mean that I have to leave _this_ map behind.

I glanced at the boys' dots and found that they were still sitting in our old dorm. Then I hurried upstairs and grabbed another piece of parchment. Rushing back down my staircase, I pulled the real map toward me and laid the fresh parchment next to it. I pulled my wand out of my pocket before I sat down.

Closing my eyes, I did my best to remember what it was that we had done. I remember the general outlines of course, transcribing an old map of Hogwarts that we found, and then adding the secrets that no one else knew…that wouldn't be necessary this time. I could just transcribe the map of Hogwarts, secret passages and all, from the Marauders' Map. But how did we get the moving dots?

Think, James, _think_.

How did we get the dots to move? And how on Merlin's green earth did we manage to get the map to work for all generations? The first years were on the map just as plainly as everyone else, and we certainly didn't add them ourselves…

I remember.

Ha. Another spell that involves an actual emotion. Funny how the older we get, the more the spells depend on ourselves this way.

We needed to feel love. The eternity of the emotion. We had our brotherhood then, and we managed to cast the spell together. We had enough power to do it that way.

But I'm older now, and I have more love. I understand how the emotion is limitless, not just from them, but from Lily too. I can do this on my own.

But a quick glance down at the original map showed that the boys had just left the Gryffindor common room and were headed my way. I grabbed both pieces of parchment and ran up to my dorm with them, thinking the whole way. I tried again what I had tried that night. I transcribed the map easily enough, but then I took a deep breath and tried to plunge myself into eternity.

Waving my wand over the parchment, I kept my eyes closed to avoid looking at potential failure. But to my delighted surprise it worked. I glanced at both maps, identical to each other but for the exceptional amount of creasing on one of them, and saw that the boys would be here in less than five minutes. So I hastily cast the concealment spells, easier even than the transcription of the plain map. Then I charmed it to open and close to the proper words and I stuffed both maps into my pocket just as I heard voices drifting up the stairs.

"Prongs? Are you up there?"

"Yeah, Moony," I called down, "I was just grabbing my cloak."

"Don't bother, we'll just Disillusion ourselves," he called back, obviously at the foot of the stairs.

Good point. I dropped my cloak back into my trunk and came down the stairs as calmly as I could with the replacement map out. "Ready to go?" I asked, tapping the parchment and thanking Merlin that it was working properly.

"Yeah, mate," Sirius said, already preparing to Disillusion himself. "On three?"

"One," I said, and everyone raised their wands, "Two, three."

And then we were all invisible. Even Peter managed it.

We used the map to guide us down to Filch's office, rushing along the corridors that were devoid of people. It was hard to find them on such a nice day, and it was far from curfew. Lots of people were still milling about.

"Alright," Sirius whispered as we hurried down another empty hall, "Filch usually goes out to clean the Entrance Hall around now, we should be clear for his office."

"What does the map say, James?" Peter asked.

"He's definitely in the Entrance Hall," I confirmed as we went down three flights of stairs. "We're clear. And this is our stop."

I heard the scuffling of shoes as we all stepped off the stairs and onto a landing with which we were all far too familiar. I tip-toed to the door.

"It's locked," Remus whispered.

"Alohomora," Sirius whispered, and the lock sprang open. He laughed quietly. "You'd think it would be harder than just plain old Alohomora."

"Well, he's a squib, Sirius, it's not nice to make fun," Remus reprimanded.

"Moony, mate, I think you're allowed to make fun of anyone when you're sneaking into their office. Except maybe Dumbledore."

Ha. That's Sirius for you.

"Alright, everyone shut up," I said, glancing in the room.

Damn! Mrs. Norris is actually sitting in there for once!

"Quiet as you can be," I murmured in my lowest voice, "Mrs. Norris is here."

"What? She's never in here! Doesn't she have other students to chase?" Peter complained.

"Not today, apparently," Sirius said, "although I've always suspected that she was part Kneazle. Maybe that's why she's just smart, you know?"

I shrugged, then realized that they couldn't see me.

"You ready, Prongs?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," I whispered, glancing at the map one last time to be sure that Filch was still on the other side of the castle. "Alright, I'm going in."

I wiped the map clean, then stuck the map in my pocket so that Mrs. Norris wouldn't see a piece of paper floating across the office in thin air. But I'm not entirely sure how much she saw or didn't see, because her eyes managed to follow me across the room.

I picked a cabinet that was marked 1960-1970. The old cabinet drawer creaked as I slowly pulled it open, and then I heard the dreaded meow.

Filch was always there moments after she meowed.

"Hurry up, Prongs!" Sirius hissed, knowing the danger as clearly as I did.

I wrenched the drawer open and, making a last minute decision, slipped the original map into the first few files, praying that Filch never had a reason to open this cabinet again. Then I slammed it shut and said, "Everyone out!"

Our feet thundered down the hall and around a corner, bringing us to a staircase that had just stopped on our floor. We all ran up it, not realizing that Filch was on his way down.

I decided to cut my losses and just bolt past him, and from the sounds of the footsteps behind me, the others did the same. We didn't stop until we reached mainstream corridors, and then we snuck into a boys' loo to make ourselves visible again.

"Oh, bloody hell," Sirius moaned, "We left his office open!"

Shit.

"That's okay," Remus said, panting a bit. "He already knows someone was in there because of Mrs. Norris. But he has no idea it was us."

"I really hope you're right, Remus," I said, leaning against a sink, "Because I'd like to graduate this year."

I can't believe that I gave up the real map.

But hopefully our kids will have as much fun with it as we did.

Is that a little too nostalgic?

xxxxxxx

The last couple weeks of school passed nicely enough, and it was definitely a relief to be able to walk the halls without having to wonder if someone was going to pop out from a corner and cut open all our innards. We still had to walk in groups, of course, but with the weather turning nicer more people were out and about, meaning the Slytherins wouldn't try anything for fear of disclosing their identities. They were still trying to operate in secret, after all.

But all too soon, those final two weeks had passed. Two glorious weeks of nothing but milling about with James and the others, laughing and joking and denying the fact that we had to leave so soon. I was laying in his arms just two days before the graduation ceremony, sipping smuggled butterbeer on the couches in the Gryffindor common room. We spent less and less time in the Heads' dorm, lately. I'm not sure why, really.

I closed my eyes and laid my head back against his chest. That felt better than I ever would have thought it should, but I wasn't about to complain. And the companionable silence was easy on my ears.

"Hey guys," Peter said quietly.

There were a couple of 'yeahs?' and everyone looked at him.

"We're leaving Hogwarts soon."

Yeah, we are.

"Well spotted, Wormtail," Sirius said, flopping back down onto the fluffy rug he had conjured.

"Well, I was just wondering…what are we going to do once we're gone?" He asked, his voice losing its timidity and gaining a certain trace of fear.

There was a moment of silence, where no one knew what to say. And then I felt James's voice rumble against my back.

"We're going to stick together, just like we are now."

"Who knows what that will bring," Remus commented, laying back further into the sofa. "I don't even want to _think_ about what happens when we leave."

"You'll be alright, Moony," Sirius promised earnestly. "We all will."

I knew he was wrong.

He wasn't lying. No, he meant it with all he had. Sirius Black would have defended us all with his life, I have no doubt.

But we won't be alright.

I just know it.

I'd rather not think about it though, not when I could be spending these last couple days with the semblance of optimism and security in my hands.

"Have you packed?" James murmured low enough for only me to hear. My eyes closed with the ecstasy of feeling his voice rumble through me again.

"Yes," I murmured softly. "And I've got all of your stuff put away, too."

"Oh, thanks, sweetheart, you didn't have to do that."

"It's alright, love. It took all of two seconds with the charm I learned."

His arms squeezed me a little tighter and he placed a sweet kiss on my neck.

"Mmmm, you're welcome," I said quietly. I felt his smile against my skin.

When I tuned back in to the others' conversation, it made me laugh.

"Oh come on! You have to wear a shirt and tie tomorrow!" Alice was trying to convince them.

"You really do," Sirius said, backing her up. "Come on, you know all the girls will fawn over you if you wear a tie—"

"Sirius, I have a girlfriend! Blonde, blue-eyed, kinda short, remember?" Remus said, not sure whether he should be annoyed or amused.

"Yes, and I'm sure she'll appreciate your wearing a tie to the graduation ceremony tomorrow," Alice said in a much lower voice. Evidently screaming hadn't done the job, and she had reverted to cajoling and persuasion. "In fact, I know she will. I'm sitting here hoping that someone in Hufflepuff tells Frank to wear a shirt and tie to the graduation ceremony."

"I'm sitting here hoping someone tells him to wear pants," James said into my ear. I giggled.

"Well, I'd like you to wear pants, James," I said quietly.

I could sense his mischievous grin. "Only for you, dear. Of course, I would take them off for you too, if you asked nicely enough."

"Maybe later," I flirted, deciding to shock him, "but the entire graduating class does _not_ get to see _my_ boyfriend without his pants."

Normally I would have slapped him, but I found I didn't mind the comment all that much. Really, if anyone could say that to me, it would be James. Out of all the boys I've dated, which is really less than a handful to be honest, I trust him completely with everything I have. I'm just not sure that I'm ready for…you know…yet.

He was shocked, I could tell, even though I still hadn't turned to see his face. I could feel it in how his arms had suddenly stiffened and tightened around me.

"Well I didn't mean later _today_, James," I said, trying to inject some exasperation into my voice. Honestly, he was ridiculous sometimes.

"Right, right," he said, loosening his grip on me slightly. "I just got a little carried away."

A _little_ carried away?

If I was talking to him about…well, what I was talking to him about…getting a _little_ carried away just wouldn't do.

Not at _all_.

I would have to find a way to fix that. Maybe a new, summery nightgown. Yeah, that would be a good idea. He warned me that the nights get hot at Potter Manor, after he invited me to stay with him, of course.

Yes, I think I will get a new nightgown.

Maybe something green.

And very, very short.

xxxxxxx

Graduation day dawned bright and clear.

Actually, it barely bothered to dawn at all and when it did it was gray and cloudy. But I always read about how monumental occasions always happened on bright and clear days so I was rather hoping that one of those days would be today. I should have known better. This is England, after all.

Oh well, a girl can dream.

Anyways, Alice and I were rushing around my room, where she had slept the night before, attempting to be dressed and down to the ceremony on time.

"Do you think they'll still set up on the quidditch field?" She asked, a little worried.

"I don't know," I said, casting a glare at the murky sky outside my window. "Seems like it would be easier to just move to the Great Hall, wouldn't it?"

"Oh, but they've got a reception in the Great Hall, remember? And then they have to clear it out for everyone to get organized to board the train."

I let out a huff. Well, there goes the idea of curling my hair, then. "Do you think they'll do it on the quidditch field? I mean, really?"

"Well," Alice said, fiddling with the hem of her scarlet and gold graduation robes, "I suppose they could easily cast a charm to keep the stadium dry, or something along those lines…"

She trailed off doubtfully as we both glanced out the window again, and then I turned back to my vanity.

"Well, either way," I said in defiance of the weather, "We can cast drying charms on ourselves, we don't have to count on them doing it. I'm curling my hair."

Twenty minutes later, we were both racing down to the pitch, high-heeled slippers in hand, and we bumped into the boys who were on their way down from Gryffindor tower.

"You girls still aren't down there yet?" Remus asked, his surprise marred slightly by his gasping for breath as we all continued to sprint.

"We're _girls_," Alice yelled, trying to be heard over the wind as we finally reached the stormy grounds. "What's _your_ excuse?"

I distinctly heard three of the four boys snort. And I am kinda proud to say that I can actually identify who snorted.

"This one," said James, jerking his finger over at Sirius as we ran, "kept trying to fix his hair in the mirror."

"I tried to fix your hair too, Prongsie," Sirius teased, "but don't get snappy with me just because your mop is a lost cause."

"Hey!" James protested, "My hair is not a lost cause! Well, maybe it is, but that's not the point! Even if you had managed to make it presentable, this storm would have mussed it anyway!"

"Which reminds me," Peter said, panting heavily even though James was half-carrying him along, "Why aren't you girls wet? We're soaked to the bone!"

I cast a quick bubble on them just as Alice cast a drying charm.

"There you go," I muttered as we raced into the changing rooms. We nearly ran over all the students who were already there, earning a glare from all four Heads of Houses. We sheepishly went to stand by McGonagall, Lacy, and Malinda.

Wow, Lacy and Malinda. Haven't heard about them in a while.

I was about to say hello when a harassed-sounding McGonagall interrupted.

"Evans! Potter! Have you got your speeches ready?"

"Yeah, I've got it right-oh, bloody hell," James moaned, looking at the paper which was no longer soaking wet, but indecipherable all the same.

McGonagall groaned.

_McGonagall_.

Yeah, you heard me right.

I nearly laughed but then her glare turned on me.

"Evans?"

"Um, got it right here, professor," I assured her, pulling out my perfectly dry speech.

"Good, good…Potter, try to come up with something."

"Yes, Professor," he said, looking down at his shoes. I decided now would be a good time to give him some support, so I wrapped my arms around his waist and kissed him softly.

"You'll do great, love. Just wing it."

"Right," he said dejectedly. I held on tight until we had to get lined up again, waiting for his tense body to relax. But it never did.

We walked out onto the field, a first for me, but all the clapping and cheering seemed to put James back into his element. The parade marched around to the chairs lined up on the lawn, which was, by the way, kept dry with some sort of faux ceiling.

Well, I suppose it was real in that it was tangible, but it wasn't a part of the actual quidditch pitch, is what I mean. But anyways, the point was we were dry, thank Merlin.

We took our seats, James and I at the front of two rows of Gryffindors since we had to make speeches later, and I caught Sirius winking at James.

Now, I know that they're best friends and between best friends that wouldn't seem odd in the slightest. Especially at an occasion like this when congratulations are in order. But James and Sirius are not ordinary. In fact, it is absolutely something to worry about when one Sirius Black winks at one James Potter, and most especially at an occasion like this when very official people will be doing very official things.

Yes, most definitely something to worry about.

xxxxxxx

"…Head Boy, James Potter!" Dumbledore said to loud applause. I couldn't help but be proud of that. Despite the fact that James got his popularity through…less than noble means…my heart still swells to hear such excitement for him.

And, I'm partly expecting something to happen any second that has Marauders stamped all over it.

"Well, Good morning, everyone. Classmates, Professors, Parents, but mostly classmates," James said with a smile, "We made it! Congratulations class of '77!"

This was met with raucous applause.

Ha! Of course it was, it was James. No one else could have pulled that one off.

We all filed back into the changing rooms while the parents returned to the Great Hall for the reception. And when we joined them about twenty minutes later, with our diplomas in hand, the party really started.

I was busy taking in the lavish decorations when James spotted someone in the crowd and dragged me in that direction. It wasn't until I was being squashed into a hug that I realized that James had brought me to his parents.

"Mrs. Potter, how nice to see you again," I gasped, trying to get my nose away from her perfume and give myself a chance at oxygen. "And Mr. Potter, glad you could make it."

Finally, I managed to extricate myself from Mrs. Potter's limbs, only to find myself engulfed in another hug. Fortunately, Mr. Potter had the respiratory sense to keep his hug brief.

"Wonderful to see you again, Lily, dear," Mr. Potter said, giving me up to James's hold, "How was the rest of your semester?"

"Oh, it was nice, thank you—"

"Prongs! Dance time!" Sirius yelled from about ten feet away, effectively blowing a hole through my ears.

"See you in a bit, Mum, Dad," James said quickly, dragging me off to the dance floor with Sirius.

We weren't very long on the dance floor when we found that the graduation dress robes we wore were very hard to dance in. In fact, all our classmates were already taking theirs off. I went to follow their example when James stopped me.

"Er, not a good idea, love," he said right into my ear, presumably to that no one else would hear.

"Why not?" I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Erm, just trust m—"

Suddenly a loud roar drowned him out. People were glaring upward at the ceiling of the Great Hall, which was dark and murky, just like the sky outside.

And, just like the sky outside, it was raining.

Not a pouring maelstrom, but raining pretty hard none the less.

"Wha—"

My words died in my throat when I saw the new things that started pouring from the sky.

"Er, yeah," James said, running his hands through his hair nervously and glancing about. "You know how Sirius is in Muggle Studies?"

"Yes," I said, figuring I knew where this was going.

"Well, erm, the professor used a new expression the other day and Sirius sort of took a liking to it," he admitted slightly sheepishly, although I knew that he was prouder than he let on. He had a slight grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

And I couldn't blame him really. It _was_ quite the sight.

I would bet my last sugar quill that half of our graduating class couldn't do the magic that they had done. Along with the raindrops that now poured freely from the ceiling, there were cats falling as well, which all seemed to shriek and vanish just before hitting the ground. They had, however, managed to knock a few people to the floor on their way down.

"Sirius must have heard the phrase wrong," I laughed, looking around. "It's supposed to rain cats _and_ dogs."

"Oh, he heard it right," James said, laughing. "But he just wasn't willing to let dogs fall from the ceiling. And then Remus said that was probably for the best, since dogs are bigger than cats and might actually hurt someone, and then Peter and I had to admit that Remus had a fair point…"

He rambled for another minute or so, but the rain, and my annoying immunity to it, gave me an idea. I watched his lips for a moment before vanishing both our robes, allowing the rain to soak through our hair. I danced with him in the rain for a while, as it didn't seem to show any sign of stopping soon.

I wondered if I had the guts to actually do it. There was one time, when I took Alice to the muggle theater over the summer, that we saw a show where the main characters kissed in the rain. At the time it had seemed silly, after all they could catch cold!

But now it seemed oddly enticing.

And those lips of his…well, they're always enticing.

So I pulled him down to me, and pressed my lips to his. Something about the rain made me forget that I was in a room full of professors and classmates and _James's parents_, and I kissed him as hard as I could. I gave way to all my passion, and hunger, and lust in that kiss, and it felt like the world should have stopped after such a perfect moment.

The world, in fact, did not see fit to stop. When we broke apart, after who knows how long, the party was still going on, the rain was still coming down—without any more cats, thank Merlin—and the only one who had noticed our vertical wrestling match was Sirius, who let out a loud wolf-whistle.

James grinned at Sirius while pulling me closer into his chest.

"What do you think," he said into my ear, having to talk loudly because of all the noise, "Time to go home?"

"Yeah," I told him, looking up into his amazing hazel eyes. Those eyes were always home, from the first time I saw them. I hadn't understood the feeling of safety then, but I knew it now. "Definitely time to go home."

xxxxxxxx

I'm not sure what to put here. I don't think I should put 'The End,' because this is most definitely not the end of their story (there will be a sequel soon) but this is the end of _Unforgettable_. So, I guess I will go with what I've always put at the bottom of my chapters, which is, I hope you liked it! And please review!


	37. Sequel Update

Hey everyone!

So, this isn't another chapter, I'm just posting an update here because I figured it was the easiest way to tell everyone about the sequel.

I just posted it a few minutes ago, it's called Pheonix Fire. I hope you all decide to check it out, and please review!


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